Owl cake design scoops industry award
Live events caterer Amadeus is celebrating after one of its chefs received his 25th industry award at the International Salon Culinaire.
Scott O 'Hara, deputy head chef at the ICC in Birmingham, scooped gold in the Sugarcraft Showpiece category at the event, with judges praising his striking owl design for its visual impact and wow factor.
The piece, made entirely from sugar dough, took nine weeks to construct at Scott 's base in Birmingham, before travelling to London for the event which is regarded as one of the world 's top competitions for chefs over the past century.
Scott (pictured) said: “I 'm thrilled to have been awarded gold at the International Salon Culinaire. It is an honour to be recognised at such a prestigious event, one which showcases some of the best culinary talent.
“To have brought home a quarter-century of awards for the ICC in Birmingham gives me real pride and I think my owl sugarcraft design may be my favourite yet. It was a real labour of love, taking around nine weeks to design from start to finish.
“I joined the ICC in 1991, working there for 10 years before re-joining in 2019. Both Amadeus and the venue really recognised by flair as an artist, something which I missed in my time away from the business, giving me the tools to develop my skills and hone my passion. ”
The sugarcraft section at International Salon Culinaire involved a range of competitions including showpieces, floral arrangements, wedding cakes, novelty cakes and team collaborations, with all exhibits being displayed throughout the three-day show at ExCeL London.
The competition requirements meant Scott 's design had to be larger than 40cms in height and width, with no external supports or non-edible decoration being permitted.
After such an impressive feat, you 'd have thought Scott would take some time to sit back and admire his handiwork, but the chef says there are plans in the pipeline to further tweak his design.
He continued: “We 're going to be using the owl as a centerpiece at the ICC, but I want to try and incorporate a hatch with shelves in the bark section of the design to help serve cakes and sweet treats. We 're always looking at ways to enhance our themed catering deliveries and I think this will be a really striking piece. ”
Amadeus, as part of the NEC Group, caters for seven million visitors a year at the NEC Group 's five world-class venues and more than 30 venues across the UK including visitor attractions, exhibition venues and conference centres.