The Wessex Salon Culinaire at Brockenhurst College has been the largest student-based catering competition for the past 21 years. It draws students and young chefs from as far afield as Scotland to the Channel Islands of Jersey and Guernsey, and over the years has been the starting block for many of the country's top chefs including Adam Smith, Ruth Hanson and Ben Murphy.

Being on stage in front of a live audience cooking skills are under the spotlight of the judges and audience, but good working practices with regards to food hygiene are a large part of the judging brief and this year we lucky enough to have on board The Royal Society for Public Health sponsoring the Best Hygiene Practice 2019 Award. 

Over the two days of some 30 competitions, the stand out best practice of food hygiene went to Farnborough College for the Canapé and Cocktail competition where the teams were tasked to produce canapés and cocktails for 40 people. 

Headed by Sean Patterson and Gwen Grace the Farnborough College of Technology showed exemplary skills in safe food handling and also provided two well put together working manuals. The clear winners now display the award with pride in their newly refurbished restaurant.  

Sean Patterson, Hospitality & Catering Lecturer, Farnborough College of Technology said: “We are really proud and grateful to win the RSPH award at the Wessex Salon Culinaire competition this year. Students work really hard at skills for competitions and it is great that students are recognised for good food safety as well. Thank you RSPH for this award, all our lecturers and students are proud.”