News

The Sheffield College students are celebrating winning a 20-strong medal haul at the UK’s largest culinary competition event.

Catering and hospitality students took part in the International Salon Culinaire, achieving three gold, 16 silver and one bronze medal as well as a merit.

Len Unwin, Curriculum Team Leader, Catering and Hospitality, The Sheffield College, said: “It’s brilliant to see our students develop the confidence, knowledge and skills to compete at a major industry event and win so many medals.”

Twenty-one students, completing Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications, took part and earned medals in the amuse bouche, chicken cut for sauté, French trimmed best end of lamb and knife skills categories.

The students are based within the MSK Professional Cookery and Patisserie and the Lakeland Dairies Employer Skills Academies at the college. The academies provide students with hands-on opportunities to develop specialist industry knowledge and skills.

The International Salon Culinaire is the UK’s largest programme of culinary competitions. The competitions were organised as part of the Hotel, Restaurant and Catering (HRC) 2026 exhibition. Held at the Excel in London from 5th to 7th April 2026, HRC attracts the industry’s most influential leaders and celebrated chefs.

Students and staff at The Sheffield College regularly earn top industry accolades for their catering and hospitality expertise. The college has just won the Zest Quest Asia 2026 competition. Meanwhile, one of the teaching team Andy Gabbitas is a finalist in the Craft Guild of Chef Awards.

The Silver Plate restaurant, which trains the college’s aspiring industry talent, won the Craft Guild of Chefs Accredited College Restaurant Award in 2025. Based at City Campus, Granville Road, the Silver Plate offers fine dining lunches, gourmet tasting menus and guest chef evenings and is open to the public for bookings during term-time.

Join us at our community open day at City Campus on Saturday, 9th May from 10am until 3pm. Everyone is welcome. 

Apply now for courses starting in September 2026.