The Sheffield College crowned winners of Zest Quest Asia 2024

The Sheffield College has secured a trip to New Delhi, India, after winning Zest Quest Asia 2024.

Phoebe Tuttle, Beth Brewster and Joe Defries, supported by their tutor Andy Gabbitas, impressed judges with their Filipino-inspired menu.

Dishes included Portobello mushroom sisig in a croustade basket; a tapsilog starter; a chicken adobo with caramelised soy green beans, banana ketchup and annatto peanuts; and turon with ube ice cream and Don Papa caramel sauce.

They beat finalists from Cheshire College South & West, Loughborough College, North Hertfordshire College, The Sheffield College, University College Birmingham and New College Durham.

The Sheffield College previously won Zest Quest Asia in 2022.

This year’s winners were revealed at a gala dinner at Hilton London Wembley, which was attended by 230 guests from the industry.

Overall runner-up University College Birmingham won an educational trip to France through the Grande Cuisine Academy.

Other awardees on the night included:

• New College Durham – Best Menu Planning and the Andrew Bennett Teamwork Award
• Loughborough College – Best Use of Tormek Knife Sharpener
• North Hertfordshire College – Best Menu Presentation
• Cheshire College South & West – Most Sustainable Menu
• North Hertfordshire College – Best Use of Tilda Rice

All 18 Zest Quest Asia student finalists have also been given a year’s student membership with the Institute of Hospitality.

Cyrus Todiwala, co-founder of Zest Quest Asia, said: “Congratulations to the Sheffield College, for drawing inspiration from the Philippines, a country that your fellow Sheffield College students visited only two years ago.

"This is what our competition is all about – students who have experienced and learned first-hand the cuisine of different Asian cultures by getting involved in Zest Quest Asia then pay their knowledge and experience forward.”

Zest Quest Asia was founded in 2013 by restaurateurs Cyrus and Pervin Todiwala with the involvement of the Master Chefs of Great Britain and aims to raise the profile of Asian cuisine among budding chefs.