(London, 11th February 2019) For the second year running, students at the University of West London have been crowned Zest Quest Asia champions. Their outstanding achievement was announced at the Zest Quest Asia Gala Dinner and Awards Night held on Friday, 8th February 2019 at the Hilton London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 (Hilton T5). Attending the event were some 300 representatives of the UK culinary education, food and drink, and equipment sectors.

University of West London once again triumphed at the cook-off finals held earlier in the day at Mr Todiwala’s Kitchen, the signature restaurant of Hilton T5, seeing off challengers from Colchester Institute, North Hertfordshire College, New City College, Farnborough College of Technology and Westminster Kingsway College. Marian Tandy, Mika Narciso, Bhumika Rai and their tutor, Tarik Ramjaun, win a trip of a lifetime: a seven-day educational journey to Manila, the vibrant capital of the Philippines and an emerging food city. They will be booked at the 5-star Fairmont Makati, conveniently located in the heart of the city’s modern business district, where they will enjoy a stage in the hotel’s kitchens.

Other planned activities include a visit to Pampanga, one of the Philippines’ culinary epicentres; cooking at a Zest Quest Asia fundraiser to be held at Romulo Café Makati, and a definite highlight – taking part in a ‘fun cooking session’ at the residence of His Excellency Daniel Pruce, British Ambassador to the Philippines.

Judges were unanimously impressed by the team’s South Indian/Goan menu: a starter of South Indian Ulundu Vadai with Jerusalem Artichoke; a main course consisting of British Partridge Goan Cafreal made with fresh mint and coriander; and a dessert of Bibinca and parsnip Serradura. Marian, Mika and Bhumika also came away with two other prizes, for Display of Sustainability and Best Wine Pairing, sponsored by Loch Duart and Castelnau/Patriarch Pere et Fils, respectively.

In addition, as the new Zest Quest Asia 2019 champions, University of West London was presented with a state of the art Robot Coupe machine for its training kitchens.