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Breid cooks up storm in Calgary
09.09.09
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by Simon McGeady, Inishowen Independent
CLONMANY chef Breid Devlin represented Ireland with
distinction at the WorldSkills competition in
Alberta, Canada last week.
Speaking to the Inishowen Independent after
finishing her competition on Saturday afternoon, the
Killybegs Tourism College graduate said she was very
happy with her showing at the prestigious event.
“I was very proud to represent Ireland at the
WorldSkills. The standard was unreal. I was up
against chefs from 35 countries around the world. We
were given mystery baskets of ingredients and had to
draw up a menu on the spot then cook and present the
food.
“The cooking competition attracted so many
spectators. It was 30 degree heat and we had 13 hour
days. One guy collapsed with exhaustion and had to
be carried out. At one stage I felt a bit weak
myself, but was determined the same thing would not
happen to me,” she said.
The DIT graduate had been working at Scholar’s Hotel
in Drogheda, but left earlier this year to train
full-time for the World Skills competition with
expert chef George Smith. |
Every two years,
hundreds of the best young professionals from
trades, service and technical programs around the
world gather to showcase their abilities at the four
day WorldSkills Competition, the biggest event of
its kind in the world.
Breid won a cook-off in March for the right to be
Ireland’s chef in Calgary.
One of the dishes she cooked up from scratch at the
competition was salmon and scallion ravioli with
tempura prawn, tomato fondue and buttered leek.
With only three medals up for grabs at the closing
ceremony on Sunday night, the former Scoil Mhuire
student was not at all downhearted to miss out on
the top places.
“There were 36 chefs and I have |
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about 70 business cards
out of the trip. It was a great experience. There
was pressure on me, but it was worse for other
chefs. A Korean chef has won this competition a
couple of times in recent years and their chef told
me if he didn’t win he would be made join the army,”
she added.
The she will return home for a few weeks to unwind
while she plans her next move.
“Some people say I should move somewhere like Paris
to get more experience but we will have to wait and
see.” |
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