SRC students impress judges at IFEX culinary championships

Students from Southern Regional College have claimed medals and certificates of merit at IFEX 2026, Northern Ireland's leading trade event for the food, drink, hospitality and retail industries, held at the Eikon Exhibition Centre from 24 to 26 February.

The students performed strongly across several categories. Eva Newell from Kilkeel took a bronze medal in the Restaurant Innovation: Dessert of the Year class, while Callum McElarney from Newry earned bronze in the Duck Culinary Freestyle category. Leon Ruddy from Bleary received a certificate of merit in the Young Seafood Chef of the Year 2026, and Andrew McVarnock from Newry was awarded a certificate of merit in the Student Culinarian of the Year 2026. Students from the college's Portadown campus also performed well, with Jake Allen from Portadown and Tristan McFadyen from Hamiltonsbawn both receiving certificates of merit in the Classical Junior Chicken category.

This year's competition placed considerable emphasis on sustainability, with competitors required to design seasonal menus using sustainably sourced ingredients and assessed on how efficiently they managed food waste and kept dishes realistic in cost.

Eva, who is studying Professional Chef Level 2 Traineeship, competed in the open restaurant innovation class with no advance preparation time permitted and just one hour on the clock. She prepared a chocolate and blood orange entremet with buttermilk and orange ice cream, earning a bronze medal in the process. Fellow open class competitor Callum, studying Professional Cookery Level 3 Apprenticeship, had 45 minutes to produce two plated portions of a pan seared duck with cauliflower three ways, mango gel, potato fondant and a citrus and five spice sauce.

In the junior categories, Jake and Tristan both tackled the Classical Junior Chicken class, each given 45 minutes to prepare, cook and present two plated portions of a chicken dish of their choice. Jake produced an oriental chicken wrapped in noodles with wontons and a chilli peanut crisp, while Tristan went with chicken in a wild mushroom ballentine with garlic mash, savoy cabbage and bacon and masala sauce.

Leon's entry in the NI Young Seafood Chef of the Year required him to produce two portions of a modern restaurant-style starter using shellfish and two portions of a main course using sustainable white fish, all within 60 minutes. He presented a poached lobster starter with braised barley, cauliflower, bisque and sea herbs, followed by a tartar stuffed sole with brown butter hollandaise, perimeter potatoes and tarragon.

Andrew's route into the Student Culinarian of the Year 2026 began before the event itself, with finalists required to design and submit a two-course menu for assessment by an independent panel. During the live competition he had two hours to prepare a two-course meal for two people showcasing Irish produce. He chose a pan roast venison loin main with a feuille de brick tart, roast beetroot, sweet potato puree and red wine jus, followed by a pressed apple terrine with apple sorbet, sable crumb and vanilla pannacotta.

Michelle Moore, Curriculum Area Manager at Southern Regional College, said: "We are extremely proud of our chef students who took part in IFEX this year. It is always a nervewracking experience to step into a competition environment, but as always, our students conducted themselves with professionalism and showcased outstanding culinary skills, demonstrating excellent attention to detail and strong time management."

"Every student who participated put in tremendous effort, practising diligently and refining their techniques. They are a credit to themselves and to their lecturers. We would also like to extend a huge thank you to our Culinary Arts Lecturers, who consistently go above and beyond in preparing and coaching the students," she added.