ATU wins big at the Irish Food Writing Student Culinary Competition

Atlantic Technological University (ATU) Culinary Arts student, Lance Andrew Lumanlan was recently presented with the overall Irish Food Writing Award, sponsored by Kerrygold, for his winning dishes served up at the live cook serve final, held on 7 November at the Neff Inspirational Kitchen Airfield Estate, Overend Ave, Dundrum, Dublin. The cook serve was judged by Jess Murphy, Kai in Galway and Gareth Mullins, executive chef at Anantara the Marker Hotel, Dublin and overseen by organiser Suzanne Campbell, Food and farming journalist and Paul O’Connor.

Second year student in the Bachelor of Arts in Culinary Arts programme at ATU Donegal Killybegs campus, Lance outlined, “I had seen the awards on display in the college which other culinary student have undertaken, so this year I decided I should give it a go. The cook serve was nerve-racking, but I was confident with my dishes and the ingredients. I was even more delighted to win my first culinary competition”.

The competition is held annually and open to culinary students nationwide, following the release of the competition criteria candidates submit in writing two starters, main dishes and or two desserts depending on the criteria. Each entry must be supported with recipes and full menu description to match. Candidates are later advised if they have made it to the next round; the live cook- serve, following service judges select an overall winner for the dishes prepared in the two-hour cookoff. The dishes presented must have a regional connection and in the case of Lance’s submission, credit must go to Molloy’s Fish Killybegs for the fresh Scallops used in the starter and to Mr Seamus Heraty for the Venison used in the main course.

ATU Culinary Arts lecturers Tim Dewhirst and Jonathan Sultan mentored Lance for this competition. Tim shares, “Lance is a confident young student with plenty of drive, it was fantastic result for him and all thanks to the event organisers and sponsors Kerrygold for the competition. This was a great opportunity to build self confidence for the competitors while raising their awareness of the importance of local seasonal produce and suppliers”.

13 Nov 2024