Lexington demonstrate contract catering has some of the best chefs in the industry

HANNAH WESTPHALEN, was crowned Lexington’s ‘Chef of the Year’ at the seventh annual chef competition, LexChef 2013, last week. Facilities management professionals joined some of the top chefs at the event which was held on Man Group’s stunning client floor overlooking the river Thames at Riverbank House.

 

Hannah competed alongside six other Lexington finalists in the annual cook-off judged by celebrity chefs and industry press; Clare Smyth MBE, Amanda Afiya, Alan Bird and Jeff Galvin.

 

Clare Smyth MBE, Chef Patron at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay and the first female British chef to hold and retain three Michelin stars said: “The level of cooking was outstanding – it was on par with national competition standards. The methods and approach that all the finalists took in the kitchen was very impressive, demonstrating that contract catering really does have some of the finest chefs in the industry.”

 

Julia Edmonds, Managing Director at Lexington said, “The comments from the judges highlight the amazing talent that exists in Lexington, as part of the foodservice sector. Such a diverse range of skills are required in today’s business environments from staff dining, when we are competing with the high street, to the finest Director dining when we need to be producing Michelin-star quality.

“We work hard to attract the best people and support employees at each stage of their career. We have created a culture that enables our people to work with local produce, in an inspirational environment and develop skills in a creative way – it is this that encourages them to be innovative and push to be the best.”

 

Hannah’s winning menu included venison wellington, crispy chicken livers, pumpkin and anise purée with port jus and an apple terrine, almond crumble, blackberry butter sauce with Calvados crème fraîche. Commenting on her win Hannah said, “I’m delighted to be named the winner of LexChef2013 and am thrilled to be the first ever female too! A massive well done to everyone who took part – the competition was fierce and the standard of cooking by my fellow finalists was incredible!”