College’s rising catering Starrs wow diners in charity fundraiser

Poppy Fray-Haberfield and Sally Meineke, two up-and-coming chefs from City College Brighton and Hove, recently went head to head in the final of a competition to create the best five course menu in a charity fund-raising competition, ‘Cooking for the Starrs’, organised by The Starr Trust.The chefs in ‘Cooking for the Starrs’ were mentored by Michelin star and 4 AA Rosettes holder Matt Gillan of South Lodge Hotel and the winner of the final was confirmed as Poppy whose menu included a mouth-watering main course of Pan-roasted cannon of lamb, caramelised sweetbreads, asparagus, fondant potatoes, garlic and rosemary infused foam with a lamb jus and a desert of frozen blackberry parfait with strawberry rippled meringues, rosewater marshmallows, and blackberry drizzle. Matt Gillan was so impressed with the City College students that he’s agreed to mentor them again next year and is treating Poppy and her winning team to lunch at the Pass at South Lodge Hotel.Matt says: “After a few teething problems in the initial rounds, the competing students responded brilliantly to feedback from myself, their tutor and diners. By the time it got to the final, the quality of the food was genuinely excellent. I think Poppy just pipped it against the other finalist Sally because she’d achieved a particularly good balance in her menu.”Tracey Narvaez from the Trust says: “The event has made almost £3,000 for the Starr Trust so we have to say a massive thanks to Allan Paul and his brilliant students for making ‘Cooking for the Starrs’ such a success. Guests were raving about the quality of the food and have expressed how keen they are to attend the event again next year.”For more information on catering courses at City College, call 01273 667759, email info@ccb.ac.uk or see www.ccb.ac.uk