Sustainability and Skill Take Centre Stage as SRC Students Succeed at IFEX

Students from Southern Regional College impressed judges at the recent IFEX competition, held at the Eikon Exhibition Centre from 24–26 February 2026. IFEX is Northern Ireland’s leading trade event for the food, drink, hospitality and retail industries. Alongside live demonstrations and product showcases, professional chefs and trainee chefs competed in a wide range of culinary competitions.

Southern Regional College students achieved outstanding results, bringing home bronze medals and certificates of merit across several categories. This year, judges placed strong emphasis on sustainability. Competitors were required to design seasonal menus using sustainably sourced ingredients. Marks were also awarded for minimising food waste. Judges carefully assessed how efficiently ingredients were used, ensuring dishes were realistic in cost and avoided unnecessary excess.

Students competed in open classes (with no age limit), and junior classes for competitors aged 23 and under at the start of the event.

Students receiving accolades at this year’s competition were:

Student Eva competed in the Open Restaurant Innovation class ‘Dessert of the Year 2026’. This required Eva to prepare, cook and present two plated portions of a modern sweet dish. With no advance preparation time permitted, Eva was up against the clock to have her dish prepared within the permitted time limit of 1 hour. Preparing a chocolate & blood orange entremet (a sophisticated, multi-layered French dessert), with a buttermilk and orange ice-cream, Eva was awarded with a bronze medal for her success.

Elsewhere student Callum competed in the Open Class of ‘Duck Culinary Freestyle’. With only 45 minutes permitted Callum produced two plated portions of a pan seared duck, cauliflower 3 ways, with a mango gel, potato fondant, plus a citrus and 5 spice sauce.

All remaining students competed in the junior categories. Students Jake and Tristan both undertook competition activity in the ‘Classical Junior Chicken’ category, being given just 45 minutes to prepare, cook and present two plated portions of a chicken dish of their choice. Jake prepared an oriental chicken wrapped in noodles with wontons and a chilli peanut crisp while Tristan prepared chicken in a wild mushroom ballentine with a garlic mash, savoy cabbage and bacon and masala sauce.

Fellow student Leon competed in the ‘NI Young Seafood Chef of the Year’. This required Leon to prepare, cook and present two portions of a modern restaurant style starter using shellfish plus two portions of a main course using sustainable white fish, all within 60 minutes. For this competition Leon produced for the starter, a poached Lobster, with braised barley, cauliflower, bisque and sea herbs. This was closely followed by a main of tarter stuffed sole, brown butter hollandaise, perimeter potatoes and tarragon.

Lastly Andrew took part in the ‘Student Culinarian of the Year 2026’ competition. Before the event, he was required to design and submit a two-course menu, including cooking methods, for judging by an independent panel. Finalists were selected based on these submissions. During the live competition, Andrew had two hours to prepare and present a two-course meal for two people, showcasing Irish produce. Andrew chose to prepare a pan roast venison loin main, accompanied by a fuile de brick tart, roast beetroot, sweet potato puree and a red wine jus. For dessert, Andrew produced a pressed apple terrine, with an apple sorbet, sable crumb, and vanilla pannacotta.

Michelle Moore, Curriculum Area Manager at Southern Regional College commented:

“We are extremely proud of our chef students who took part in IFEX this year. It is always a nerve‑wracking 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.

The feedback from students about IFEX has been overwhelmingly positive, and they thoroughly enjoyed the competition experience.”