MASTERCHEF FINAL! :D

For those who didn't watch it, first of all, you missed out and get on the internet to download the episode becuase it was absolutley briliant!

Secondly, DO NOT READ THIS POST OR IT'LL SPOIL IT FOR YOU! WORD OF WARNING!

So, last night Mat Follas won MasterChef 2009 in front of millions of viewers and i couldn't be happier for him. I thought he worked really really hard to show and do exactly what the judges wanted and i wish him great success in the wonderful world of high cuisine and catering!

It's so sad to hear that his ideas of opening his own restaurant near his Dorset home have been put on hold because of this awful recession! How determinded to overcome these problems must he be now!

I was also really shocken when i heard that the final had actually been filmed back in Sept 2008 and Mat had had to keep his wonderful news to himself for all that time! I would of wanted to shout it from the tree tops if that was me!

His winning menu on the show consisted of a starter of trio of wild rabbit, a main course of spider crab with hand-cut chips and sea vegetables. This was followed by an exotic dessert of lavender mousse with his version of 'hokey pokey' honeycomb (a delicacy from New Zealand apparently!) and a blackberry sauce.

The father of 3 children lives in Beaminster and had been given the thumbs up to go ahead and open his own restaurant by judge and presenter John Torode.

But Follas admitted that the credit crunch has meant he will not be able to finance the planned venture because he cannot sell his house! :(:(:(:(:(

He said: 'The plan is to do it. I would love to set up one right now but the housing market has kind of put an end to the initial way of financing it.

The runners up:
Chris had prepared scallop ravioli, roast pork belly with bubble and squeak and dark chocolate tartlet for the final; Andy made a Thai-style crab salad, glazed duck breast with wantons and mango and passion fruit sundae

Personally, i would of loved to of tried Chris's menu with the bubble and squeak, although the judges said the pork was slightly undercooked i still would of eaten it!

Torode said Follas won because he had made the most progress on the show and 'inspired' with dishes often using foraged ingredients.

He said: 'Mat came in here and absolutely wowed us with food which was extraordinary in both presentation and flavour.'

Wallace said: 'There is now no doubting the absolute originality and brilliance of Mat. The guy is cooking his own style. He is absolutely superb.'

He said: 'My final three courses were very personal and incorporated my love of food, foraging and catching great ingredients. I'm humbled and proud that my dishes won such an amazing competition.'

All the best for the future Mat, we wish you continued success!!!!!

Although, i am a little sad, as Masterchef is now over :(

Oh well, there's still come dine with me!!!! :)

MY BLOG!

Hi Guys! This blog has been put together to provide all you people out there who work in the catering or hospitality industry with as much guidance and advice as we possibly can. Here, we would like to talk about what you and me like about the big wide world of catering and hospitality, what we've heard on the grapevine, exchange recipes and have a good old chat! Everything food related and interesting can be involved!

Linda: Government help for jobless? Don't believe a word...

Hi Guy's
So it's a post thats a little different then usual, however i feel it is important and something to spread the word about...check out Linda's post on www.hotjobsinhospitality.com :

Government help for jobless?

Don’t believe a word …

Today, I’m going to talk about the elephant in the room. The PM & Government are feeding us mistruths at a time when they should be bending over backwards to instil confidence and trust to a nation in despair. They deliver us pomposity, unclear and unkept promises and a trail of propaganda about how they are doing everything they can to help the unemployed.

The vast majority of job seekers are decent, honest people who given the opportunity will thrive to the benefit of their families and employers. It’s devastating to lose your job, your position, your pride and your ability to make a worthwhile contribution. There are people with an array of important skill-sets out there and too many of these talented hard workers are without jobs and having to sign on the dole.

Mr GB actually said he intends to “maximise the chances of the unemployed getting jobs”. Soundbites with no substance and no clear intentions................

For more on this, log onto
http://www.hotjobsinhospitality.com/jobboard/cands/newsview.asp?id=1437&nc=&ex=

JOB HUNTING- 9 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW!

Also, see Linda's new post of Job Hunting..Everything you need to know and be aware of in one article! Courtesey of www.hotjobsinhospitality.com


Job Hunting- 9 things you need to know....

In this recession, managing your career throws up some challenges, so what you’ll need is a determined and focused attitude with a lot of net research thrown in for good measure. Look at the bigger picture, research your industry and use the search engines to help you look at articles about your sector and check out what the most recession-proof jobs are, so that you can target them.

Change the way you think - It’s a different type of market now. You may be brilliant, with an exceptional academic record and bags of experience, but in this climate you also need to remember that there are lots of other people out there with equally good or more diverse skills, so you need to stand out. Start thinking from the employer’s perspective and what will be in it for them if they employ you. Of course you need to confident, but not to the extent that you think they can’t do without you. The fact that you’ve been in your last job for years and know everything about your role inside out, will not guarantee you the next job. It’s up to you to demonstrate how you can be an asset to them, not the other way round......

For more on this, check out www.hotjobsinhospitality in the news section!

http://www.hotjobsinhospitality.com/jobboard/cands/newsview.asp?id=1424&nc=&ex=

GETTING A JOB IN THE RECESSION!

Hi Guys!

Come and check out Linda's new post on top tips and advice for getting a job in the recession!
We all know it's difficult, but heres how to deal with it....

http://www.hotjobsinhospitality.com/jobboard/cands/newsview.asp?id=1423&nc=&ex=

For all the best and latest Catering and Hospitality vacancies check out
www.hotjobsinhospitality.com

The Recipe for the BEST Yorkshire Pud!

Recently we've been discussing how to make the BEST Yorkshire Pudding on our 'UK'S BEST CHEF' Group on facebook, exchanging on our notes and tips. Here's what we've come up with!

Traditional way:
Ingredients

vegetable oil
290ml/½ pint milk
4 eggs, beaten
255g/9oz plain flour, sifted
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7.
2. Grease a Yorkshire pudding tin with a little vegetable oil. Place the tin in the oven to preheat.
3. Place the milk, eggs and seasoning in a bowl. Stir well to combine.
4. Whisk in the flour.
5. Remove the tin from the oven. Pour in the batter, filling each case only three quarters full.
6. Place the tin in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until puffy and raised.
7. Remove the puddings from the oven and serve.

Rob lane, West Midlands- says:
I do 3 Cups Plain flour, 3 Cups Milk, 3 Cups Eggs and a good pinch of salt. How to make the mixs then well put flour in bowl with a good pinch of salt then beat eggs then gradually add it to it to make it smooth next step add milk 2 flour egg mixs to make it like a batter mixs then let it rest for half a hour. Put trays in over with a little oil for 10 mins on 190 til the trays ar RED HOT then add mixs to the trays then bake for 20 mins till GOLDEN BROWN AND THEY ROSE TO. Take out yorkpuddings to cool down or sever on roast beef dinner. THIS MAKES 40 YORKPUDDINGS AND U CAN FREEZES THEM DOWN TO. It goes well with Sausages, roast Beef. You can use chopped Herbs in the mixs or horseraish SAUCE to what i love use in it.



Stephen Harmer, Manchester- says:
A good deep yorkshire pudding tray, smokin hot oil in it (not too much) for the mix, equal quantities of plain flour, eggs and milk. add a pinch of salt let it rest 4 a good hour. pre-heat oven too 220 degrees C in the yorkie tray with the hot oil (gooese fat or duck fat work a treat) pour the yorkie mix to the top and place it on the middle shelf of the oven cook 4 15-20 mins till they hav rose they will do so to about 5" then turn the oven down too 160 degrees C and cook 4 a further 15 mins. this will give you a very high firm yorkshire pud and a Guaranteed talkin point at any sunday lunch table.


COME JOIN IN!!
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=42380857135

Walkers new Flavours! Tried and Tested!

Hi All!

Here at www.hotjobsinhospitality.com

we just LOVE food, all shapes and sizes!
So, when we heard all about the new Walker's crisp flavours on offer to us consumers at the mo, we thought we had to get a look in! See what all the fuss was about!
So, we have tried and tested the new flavours out which are as follows:

Cajun Squirrel
Onion Bhaji
Builders Breakfast
Fish and Chips
Chilli and Chocolate
Duck and Hoisin

And heres what we thought!

Cajun Squirrel

Keeley: Very strong smell of herbs, basil and Thai Food! bit weird. Tasted...ok, bit oniony, notvery distinctive. Not bad, but not memorable
3/10
Linda: First smells like Thai food, then sort of MMiddle Eastern and then of strong herbs!
As I was eating it i thinking about squirrels! It's not spicy with no particular flavours, bit nothingly really.
1/10

Fish and Chips

Keeley: Smelt exactly like Fish and Chips! Tasted MINGING! hated it. Tasted gone off and awfully strong. Horrible.
0/10
Linda: No, No No!!! Wrong on every level! Tastes like dried fish gone off! Distrubing!
0/10

Onion Bhaji

Keeley: Really sweet and yummy smell warm smell! Spot on smelt exactly like onion bhaji
So so so yummy very very moreish, could eat over and over again. Definate favourite!
10/10
Linda: Spot on smell, very yummy indeed, not too harsh, perfectly flavoured.
9/10


Builders Breakfast

Keeley: First smells of bacon and Ketchup, very eggy taste to them with the essense of baked bean juice! Could be so much more. Not very memorable.
6/10
Linda: agreed first smell of bacon and ketchup, then the first taste i got was eggs and then beans too. Novelty crisps, wouldnt eat reguarly.
5/10


Duck and Hoisin

Keeley: Very strong smell of Hoisin rather then duck to begin with, very strong taste of pancakes and cucumbers as well when you eat them. Pretty nice would definatley buy.
8/10
Linda: Loved these, first taste and smell reminds me of crispy duckwith an aroma of cucmber. Definatley would buy.
9/10

Chilli and Chocolate

Keeley: Stink when you smell them! Very strong smell indeed. Didn't however taste strong enough or distinctuve enough to say it was chilli. Bit unimpressed.
5/5/
Linda: Smells of spices, first taste is dark chocolate then a light chilli flavour kicks in. Couldnt eat a whole bag. But if i was drinking a long alcoholic drink, these would be the perfect nibble.
3/10


SOOOOOOOOOO, Conclusion is:

ONION BHAJI! Clear winner! Definate favourite!

But what do you guys think? We'd love it if you would let us know your thoughts on this, have u tried any of these flavours already? Would you like to?

On our Blog, there is a voting station for the flavours COME AND GET INVOLVED!
LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!


:D :P :)

UK's Best Veggie Chef???

CALLING ALL VEGETARIAN CHEFS!! Are you the next best thing?

Chefs of the Vegetarian kind are being encouraged to enter the Cordon Vert School's Vegetarian Chefs of the Future Contest 2009, to be in with a chance of winning prizes that could do wonders for their careers!

2 Chef winners will be selected after a live cook off competition in mid April to receive a prize package that consists of a personalized chef's jacket , a hamper full of vegetarian products and goodies, 1yrs membership to the Vegetarian Society and a Scholarship for a Cordon Vert Diploma, usually worth £1.5k!!!

Firstly, chefs will need to demonstrate their abilities by designing a 3 course menu suitable for vegetarians in order to be chosen to attend the live cook off competition final at the Cordon Vert School in Cheshire.

Applications must be received by 10th March, you can apply by logging on to www.cordonvert.co.uk

The winners will receive their awards during the National Vegetarian Week 18th Feb- 25th Feb.

Good luck Guys!

For all the best chef jobs, log on to http://www.hotjobsinhospitality.com/