Apprentice chefs at Archerfield cook up a storm at national awards

The chefs, who are undertaking a two-year apprenticeship at Archerfield, competed in the 34th Scottish Culinary Championships at ScotHot, Scotland’s showcase for food, drink, hospitality and tourism at the SEC in Glasgow.

Together, the chefs returned east with a dozen medals.

East Lothian apprentice chefs, some as young as 16 years old, competed in the Skills Arena, which included heats in fish preparation, flambé, cocktail mixology and a hollandaise challenge.

Those who returned with medals were Kaylyn Macnab, gold – fish preparation, and silver – chicken sauté; Elliot McGhee, gold – roll design and shaping, and bronze – vegetable preparation; Clelia Di Canto, silver – fish preparation, and silver – vegetable preparation; Zack Robertson, silver – roll design and shaping, and silver – chicken sauté, and merit award – vegetable preparation; Dante Di Canto, bronze – chicken sauté, bronze – fish preparation; and Stanislav Vasilev, bronze – fish preparation, and bronze – vegetable preparation.

The Archerfield Young Chefs Certificate of Excellence Award is a two-year apprenticeship delivered by chef Joe Queen, one of the most recognised figures within the industry, who recently received the Peter Jukes Fellowship Award from The Master Chefs of Great Britain.