A team of Edinburgh College students showed they can handle the heat of the kitchen after winning 18 medals at Scotland’s largest food, drink, hospitality and tourism showcase

Twenty-nine students and two members of staff travelled to Glasgow’s Scottish Event Campus to compete at ScotHot – testing their skills in timed conditions against peers and industry-based chefs from across the country.

Seventeen-year-old Shannon McNeil represented the College in the Scottish Young Chef of the Year where she won Bronze. Shannon and her commis chef Amy French also won Best Hygienic Working Practices of the competition and will be awarded a trophy by hygiene specialist Holchem laboratories Ltd.

Shannon McNeill and Amy French

Shannon competed against apprentice chefs from across Scotland and created a three-course menu plus one amuse bouche for four covers in three hours.

Students also picked up medals in a range of challenges including Street Food, Knife Skills, Fish Dish and Cake Decorating, among others – demonstrating the pipeline of talent learning at the College’s Eh15 and Apprentice training restaurants.

Gold medal winning cupcakes.

College staff members also picked up medals on the day. Kellyanne Cockburn claimed Gold in the Novelty Cakes challenge while Claire Schirsinger won a silver medal in Decorated Cupcakes.

In addition, College students won seven Merit awards and five Participation awards to round off a fantastic performance.

Professional Cookery curriculum leader Steph Tanner said: “I’m so proud of our students and staff who competed at ScotHot – they all worked incredibly hard and showed just how talented they are.

Luke Gibson – Bronze Medal

Justin Jones receiving his medal and certificate

“It’s amazing to watch them work in these conditions as it allows them to experience the added pressure of competition as well as giving them the opportunity to receive feedback on their cooking which can only benefit them in the future.”

The following students collected medals and or certificates in their respective challenges. Huge congratulations to them all.

Larder Skills

Justin Jones – Bronze Medal

Ruairidh Harte – Bronze Medal

Luke Gibson – Bronze Medal

Saman Ghafour – Participation Award

Alisha Kerr – Participation Award

Sustainable Fish Dish

Luke Gibson – Certificate of Merit

Justin Jones – Participation Award

Jacob Skrzynski – Participation Award

Healthy Living

Sophie Taylor – Silver Medal Best in Class

Agnes Kincses – Certificate of Merit

Mateusz Harlos – Certificate of Merit

Open Lamb

Nikki Burns – Bronze Medal

Alex Hume – Participation Award

Street Food

Agnes Kincses – Bronze Medal

Alex Hume – Bronze Medal

Mary Nielle Macalanda – Bronze Medal

Anderson Da Silva Rodrigues – Bronze Medal

Decorated Cupcakes

Ashleigh Ross – Gold Medal

Islay Coppola – Silver Medal

Kirsty Gibertson – Bronze Medal

Khadijah Khurran – Bronze Medal

Styliana Dimitrova – Bronze Medal

Beth Hayward – Certificate of Merit

Marialuisa Iannone – Certificate of Merit

Nicole Mitchell – Certificate of Merit

Afternoon Tea

Lydia Vukota – Certificate of Merit

Works in chocolate

Daniel Hamilton – Silver Medal