Further Success for Sundial Group Chef

16 May 2006

We are delighted to announce that Woodside, our Warwickshire venue, is celebrating further success in the kitchen after David Webb, Chef de Partie, took home the Gold Award in the CCE/IACC Chef of the Year Competition 2006. 

Of the eight years that this competition has been staged by Conference Centres of Excellence and the International Association of Conference Centres, Sundial Group's chefs have been victorious four times. Lee Gaskins, Woodside's Head Chef, was the inaugural winner, and he has mentored David since he started his career at Sundial Group last February. In fact, this is something of a third-generation success for Sundial Group, because Lee himself was trained by our Operations Director, award-winning chef Jerry Toth. 

Jerry, who following the publication of the Sundial Group Cookbook late last year, pens regular articles in meetings industry magazines about the importance of quality cuisine, was delighted with this most recent success, "We take food very seriously across our venues, and I am thrilled for David, Lee and all at Sundial Group that their talents have been recognised in this way. He was up against some pretty stiff competition from a selection of excellent chefs and won not only the Gold Award, but also the ‘Best Main Course' certificate." 

"Competitions such as these are great for raising the profile of the cuisine provided by dedicated conference centres, and help challenge the perception of our venues in the marketplace." 

This award follows hot on the heels of the Silver medal that David won at this year's Midlands Salon Culinairé, held at the NEC, in the senior Duck class. For coming first, David wins a gold medal, silver salver, £150, a case of fine wines and the prestige of being CCE/IACC Chef of the Year for 2006.