Six colleges have won coveted places in the Zest Quest Asia 2020 finals. Loughborough College, New City College, North Hertfordshire College, Sheffield College, University College Birmingham, and University of West London will be competing at a live cook-off to be held on Friday, 7th February 2020 at Mr Todiwala’s Kitchen, the signature restaurant of the Hilton London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5. The winners will be announced at a Gala Dinner and Awards Night to be held at the hotel that evening.
Founded by Cyrus and Pervin Todiwala in 2013 in collaboration with the Master Chefs of Great Britain, Zest Quest Asia is the student catering competition that recognises outstanding talent, knowledge and understanding of Asian cuisine. The competition is on its seventh round, and is open to all full-time students with British citizenship or permanent UK residency status, who work in teams of three.
So far, over a hundred students have had the opportunity to compete in the finals of Zest Quest Asia. The competition is noted for its rigorous criteria and exacting standards, but also for the range of prizes that await the winners and competitors, not least of which is a 7-day cultural and education trip to an Asian destination. Previous winners have visited India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, and the Philippines, and the first prize destination is always a kept a closely guarded secret until the Gala Dinner.
Cyrus Todiwala said, ‘Narrowing down the entries to a shortlist of six is always a challenge because we’re conscious of the effort and resources invested in each entry. Because of this, and the fact that many Asian cuisines and cooking styles remain a mystery to college students, I believe everyone who chose to participate deserves the highest praise.
‘Congratulations to the six colleges that came through and we very much look forward to great things from you in February. As long as you focus on key areas such as flavour, technique, the use of ingredients, sustainability and presentation, and can prove your knowledge and understanding behind your chosen menus, you can’t go wrong. Very well done so far!’
The Zest Quest Asia final cook off and Gala Dinner and Awards Night will be held on Friday, 7th February 2020 at the Hilton London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5. For more information and tickets, visit www.zestquestasia.org. Special accommodation rates at Hilton T5 are also available upon booking.
