News and events

Cooking up success

Published 16 September 2010

Julie Simpson, head chef at the University of Brighton's Mithras House, has baked her way to national success by winning a competition to find the best British dish.

Julie scooped the Brakes Studiously British national award with her 'British bubble and squeak pie with tomato and roquette sauce'.

The competition was for further and higher education catering managers to design an innovative dish for students nationwide. Dishes had to be low budget and suitable for the student market, plus use British ingredients wherever possible.

Judges commended the novel approach of the dish, its use of British products and its realistic cost.

As part of the British Food Fortnight campaign, Julie's recipe is being sent to catering managers within 500 canteens nationwide to serve during the two week campaign (18 September – 3 October 2010). She was also awarded £250 worth of Global knives.

Head chef Julie Simpson

Julie said: "I am really thrilled to have won. I love cooking with British ingredients - we have some of the finest produce in the world. It is so exciting to know that my own recipe may be served to students the length and breadth of the country during British Food Fortnight.

"I was inspired to make this dish as I love comfort food and using all British and seasonal produce, this seemed to fit perfectly. I made the dish as a sample and sold it in the restaurant at Mithras. I had really good feedback and even two emails saying how delicious the dish was.

"I love cooking for my family but as they all live 200 miles away I don't really get the opportunity very often. It's just me and my cat Percy but he does love my fish dishes.

"We often get really good feedback at Mithras through the central catering email address which is great and we welcome any suggestions people have.

"With regards to ambitions I just want to continue cooking and provide a service which people are happy with and enjoy."

Brakes development chef and competition judge Mark Irish said: "In every kitchen in every food-service establishment across the UK there's a growing passion for using British – because of its quality, taste and regional importance. It's been great to work with catering managers in education to celebrate what our nation has to offer. We are sure that Julie's dish will go down very well with students UK-wide."

See Julie's recipe: British bubble and squeak pie with tomato and roquette sauce.