Top gun and topcooks - that'sConingsby staff

They don't just fly multi-million pound fighter jets at RAF Coningsby....they're pretty hot stuff in the kitchen as well!

Two staff members entered a national competition - Hotelympia 2016, which is the UK’s largest food service and hospitality event, attracting 26,000 visitors this year.

A member of the catering staff at RAF Coningsby checks everything is ready ahead of the big day. Photo By:- SAC Megan Woodhouse (RAF) EMN-160316-135806001placeholder image
A member of the catering staff at RAF Coningsby checks everything is ready ahead of the big day. Photo By:- SAC Megan Woodhouse (RAF) EMN-160316-135806001

Coningsby’s entrants had spent hours practising and even visited one of the country’s top chefs - Colin McGurran at Winteringham Fields - for some tips.

Senior Aircraftman Danny McKnight, from the Officers Mess, entered the “Contemporary Freestyle Dessert” with his pudding.

The dish included a dark chocolate fondant with a white chocolate, clotted cream and vanilla ice cream. It was finished with a pistachio and raspberry crumb, with pistachio sugar.

Corporal Jess Edwards, who has worked in the Officers Mess, entered the “Cocktail Mixology” category with two of her best entries - Kentucky Mule, which comprises bourbon, ginger and lime and Hedgerow Sling, which includes gin, sloe gin, elderflower and cloudy apple juice.

After the judging, Jess was awarded a silver medal – a terrific result - and Danny a certificate of merit, which is also an excellent result given the exacting standards of the competition and the fact it was Danny’s first taste of a national event.

Danny said: “I loved it and it was good competing against my civilian counterparts.”

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