University chef Martin Wheeler wins 2016 British BBQ Battle

Friday, 17 June 2016

University chef Martin Wheeler has won the 2016 British BBQ Battle.

The finals took place in the beautiful grounds of Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire on Wednesday 15 June. The eight finalists had come through a tough competition including chefs from different areas of the food industry including other universities, pubs, bars, restaurants and hotels.

Each finalist had to prepare a three course meal using a barbeque as the main method of cooking. Each menu was cooked live in front of an audience, before being presented to a panel of four judges. 

Martin put together an innovative menu for the final. His starter consisted of Applewood smoked eel served with an apple and celeriac slaw. For main course, he served a Hogget shish, served on a beetroot flatbread with crispy kale and baba ganoush. His choice for dessert was a Lamington, served with grilled mango and a Pina Colada sabayon.

Darren Edwards (Executive Chef), who was at Blenheim Palace to support Martin, said the atmosphere was tense as the finalists tried to prepare their dishes. He said Martin had practiced the dishes a number of times on the barbeques outside the Central Kitchen. “I am glad everything went well on the day and Martin cooked really well”.

And the result reflected that. After the judges had tasted all the dishes and deliberated their scores, Martin not only won the university category, he was also announced as the overall winner of the 2016 British BBQ Battle. The judges especially commended his Lamington dessert as “the best dish of the day”.

Martin said: “It is a fantastic victory. To cook with seven of the best chefs from across the food industry is itself a matter of pride, but to be crowned the best among them is great”.