Last year was a memorable year in pastry chef Alice Peel’s career: national dessert chef of the year, triumph team at Salon Culinaire, and new skills learned at Paris academy École Lenôtre.
“Alice, pastry chef, is part of the Independents by Sodexo team at Caterham School in Surrey, where they cater for 1,400 lunchtime covers every day.
In June last year, Alice won the Mővenpick Gourmet Dessert Chef of the Year at a tense final in London with her strawberry, lime and Champagne sundae.
Following her success, Alice was nominated to represent the Independents by Sodexo team in the culinary team challenge, which is the curtain raiser to the Salon Culinaire. Alice’s role was to prepare the dessert, which was a hazelnut mille feuille made with praline cream, caramelised hazelnuts and poached pear. The team went on to win gold, first place, at the inter-company culinary challenge.
Currently studying a Level 2 NVQ in professional cookery, Alice said “I’d never taken part in a competition before I joined Sodexo, let alone won anything. I feel like I’ve learnt a lot and developed a lot as a chef. Sodexo has brought me opportunities I never had anywhere else and I’m determined to make the most of it.”
Posted by Independents
