GMIT to host International Cook Serve Challenge (15 & 16 March)

Third-level students from Ireland and France are to gather in GMIT in mid-March to compete in the GMIT International Cook Serve Challenge, a two-day public event showcasing the kitchen and restaurant skills of full-time students in culinary and hospitality programmes. The challenge will consist of the preparation and service of a five-course tasting menu with matching beverages and wines.

Members of the public can attend this unique event by purchasing tickets for the lunchtime and evening challenges which take place in the Institute’s College of Tourism and Arts at the Dublin Road (Galway) campus on Tuesday 15 and Wednesday 16 March at 12.15pm sharp (lunch) and 5.30pm sharp (dinner).  A limited number of tickets are available at the exceptional price of €30 each. Please email restaurants@gmit.ie to book your place before 29 February 2016. Parking is available for free in the large car park (north entrance/hill), or alternatively at the pay & display area.

GMIT’s College of Tourism and Arts has an excellent and long established record in national and international competitions. Students and staff won the top title at Catex 2015 – one of the biggest national culinary competitions and networking events in the Irish foodservice industry, taking home the coveted Gold Medal and Overall Winner title last year.

This new event, the GMIT International Cook Serve Challenge, will see four teams competing from four Institutes of Technology, namely Athlone, Cork, Galway and Waterford in Ireland, and a visiting team from France - the Lycée Hôtelier de La Rochelle. The students, with their tutors’ support, will have to plan, cook and serve a culinary feast for their restaurant guests. High profile personalities from the culinary world will be on hand to adjudicate their efforts. The winners will be announced on Wednesday, 16 March.

GMIT is delighted to have training company Gréasan na Meán of the national Skillnets Network on board to film the event, capturing both Front of house and Kitchen scenes, and showing student, judge and guest interaction.

Maria Griffin, Manager of Gréasan na Meán Skillnet, says “We are delighted to be involved in the GMIT Cook Serve International Challenge event in March and will run a training course to produce a web based magazine programme to run for the duration of the GMIT Cook Serve event aptly named ‘Cook Serve TV’. It will be available to view on GMIT’s website during the event. The project will be led by industry professionals including Justin McCarthy, Freelance Producer and Editor; Niamh Guckian, Freelance, RTE and The Irish Times; and Barbara Collins, Freelance Radio Journalist, Food writer, critic and blogger.”

In addition to the Cook Serve challenge, all visiting teams will have the opportunity to savour Galway with an exciting package of food trails in Galway city, coupled with Master Classes hosted by GMIT.

Gerry Talbot, Head of Dept, CTA, says: “The objective of the event is to challenge the students to bring their skills, traditions and innovative vision to an international audience. It will highlight the highest standards in international hospitality services.”

“We look forward to welcoming all - students, tutors, industry and the general public to Galway and our campus in March, and hope to build on this inaugural event and create an exciting and entertaining annual event to be held in Galway”.

For more information on programmes in GMIT’s College of Tourism & Arts, see: http://www.gmit.ie/college-tourism-and-arts/college-tourism-arts