University of West London triumphs at Zest Quest Asia 2023

The University of West London have been announced as the winners of the Zest Quest Asia 2023 competition with a prize trip to Bangkok.

The annual awards ceremony which took place at the Radisson Hotel and Conference Centre London Heathrow last Friday (17 February) marks the third time since the launch of the student culinary competition that a team from the University’s London Geller College of Hospitality and Tourism has taken first place.

The results of the live cook off and knowledge presentations that comprise the finals of Zest Quest Asia, now in its 10th year, were announced at a gala dinner at the Radisson with some 250 guests, which included a raffle and auction to raise funds for the Todiwala Foundation.

The winning team from the University of West London, Nekeshia Alcee, Olivia Parker-Smith and Prema Rebekah Kaur Sembi-Harding and their tutor, Nathan Vasanthan, can now look forward to a trip of a lifetime, a week-long culinary and cultural journey to Bangkok, Thailand.

The judges were impressed by the team’s Vietnamese-inspired four-course menu consisting of an amuse bouche of Dorset clam dumplings with Sriracha and mixed herbs; a starter of Tomato and mushroom Pho with tomato brittles; a main course of Banh chung – a Northern Vietnamese rice dish served during the Lunar Year, Lemongrass and Chilli Chicken with stir-friend broccoli stems and cabbage served with carrot, daikon and Kohlrabi pickle; and a dessert of Honteri-miso glazed sticky rice banana cake with creamy coconut sauce and roasted peanuts.

Cyrus Todiwala, Zest Quest co-founder with Pervin Todiwala, said: “After 10 years, Zest Quest Asia continues to fire the creativity and imaginations of young student chefs. People are taking Asian cuisine seriously as an artform and the performance and dedication of our finalists proves that Zest Quest Asia is making a difference in their raised perceptions. Congratulations to University of West London for their fabulous hat-trick and to all the finalists who have emerged as winners as well.”