Two chefs from the kitchens of Aberdeen Royal Infirmary have travelled to London for a major national cookery competition.
Chris McGuile and Robert Salomia will pit their culinary skills against six other teams in the hope of being crowned the best NHS team chefs in the UK.
The duo will be challenged to put together the finest two-course meal possible on a tight budget that cannot exceed £2.60 per head.
They’ll have just 60 minutes to prepare, cook and present the two courses as they represent all of Scotland.
Were that not enough, the Hospital Caterers Association, which runs the competition, has asked each team to think very carefully about their chosen dishes.
They must meet criteria for fats, sugars and salts and the courses must be capable of being served to 50 patients every bit as easily as two judges.
It is hoped the fine dining dishes devised by the teams can be served in hospitals across the UK.
After brainstorming all manner of exotic ideas, while juggling cost and nutritional value, the NHS Grampian pair will serve judges a seared fillet of hake with fondant potato, wilted spinach and roasted red pepper sauce.
And for desert, there will be a sugar free sticky date and apple cake with honey and cinnamon whipped cream.
Judges will taste each team’s dishes at the Hotel, Restaurant an Catering Show, at Excel in London today before deciding who is ‘best in class’.
Mr McGuile, 52, spoke yesterday, moments before heading for the airport, of their chances of winning, saying: “We aren’t going there to lose.
“Robert and I are both very confident in our menu and hope to do both Grampian and Scotland proud.
“This is also an opportunity for us to make food better for patients.
“That is why we are here – to help people in their recovery as much as possible.
“If we can provide them with superior food then that is exactly what we will do.”
Following the competition, NHS Grampian plans to roll out the pair’s carefully considered dishes to patients.
Mr Salomia, 43, added: “I love the challenge of main courses and plating them up, especially with the NHS.
“We aren’t a restaurant and we don’t have a Michelin star, but it still needs to be tasty and look the part.
“We take a lot of pride in our work, not least because we know we can contribute to the health and wellbeing of the people we serve our food to.
“In the end it will all come down to the adrenaline and that hour we have to serve a delicious and nutritional meal.”
The pair will know if they have been crowned the victors later today.
Stewart Donald, patient catering manager, said: “I’m very proud of both of them. It is a great opportunity for the guys to show off their talents and represent NHS Grampian.”
