In Brief: 6 May 2015

Owen Taylor & Sons take award for best sirloin

Hotel, restaurant and hospitality supplier Owen Taylor & Sons have received the award for best sirloin steak in England at the EBLEX Quality Standard Mark Excellence Awards 2015. The Derbyshire-based butchers beat off competition from around the country.

Managing Director Richard Taylor said, “This is a magnificent moment for us and our customers. We know we produce some of the finest steaks around, which come from quality animals from assured farms. Our sirloin steaks are well-matured and deliver fantastic flavour—and they are now officially the best in the country!

“Not only is this great news for Owen Taylor & Sons Ltd., it is also great news for our customers, too. Our catering and food service customers, such as restaurants and hotels, can be confident that they are serving their customers with a top steak.

A complete list of award winners can be found at the Eblex webpage.

Mike Bates selected for Global Chefs Challenge

Leading Welsh chef Michael Bates, 54, has been selected to represent Wales at a major international cooking contest in Denmark this summer. Bates, the executive head chef at the Celtic Manor Resort, Newport, will compete against the best chefs in Northern Europe at the continental semi-final of The Global Chefs Challenge in Aalborg on June 5 and 6.

The winner of the competition will represent Northern Europe in the world final to be held at the Worldchefs Congress 2016 in Athens. The prestigious competition is organised by the World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS) and Mr Bates will be representing the Culinary Association of Wales.

Bates, the twice-winner of South Wales Chef of the Year, says, “It’s a great honour to be asked to represent your country on the European stage and I am looking forward to the competition. I am in the process of choosing the dishes that I’m going to cook and I shall then perfect them before the competition.”

In the semi-final he will have three hours to cook a three course meal for six people. In the world final, the seven finalists will be given six and three-quarter hours to cook a four course meal for 12 people.