AS WE prepare for London 2012, students from Oxford & Cherwell Valley College have been showing off their mettle at the nation’s catering Olympics – and winning gold for napkin-folding and cocktail-shaking.

Hospitality and catering students Holly Thompson and Scott Harrison were among four from the college who took part in the Salon Culinaire competition, held in Warwickshire, where catering students from all over the country showed off their skills.

Holly, 19, from Oxford, beat 24 other competitors and delighted the judges with her intricate napkin-folding designs, which included a rag doll and a miniature Sydney Opera House.

Scott, also 19 and from Didcot, took what he hopes will be his first step towards his dream of owning his own cocktail bar, when he took the top prize with his tastebud-tempting coffee and cocktails.

Holly said: “People are pretty surprised when I explain how intricate napkin-folding is, but it really is an art and it can really transform how your table looks. I had 15 minutes to fold six napkins, three paper and three linen – and I tried my best to make my designs as eye-catching and different as I could.

“I won gold with my rag-doll design, which is a traditional design which looks like a dolly sitting on your plate and has a spoon forming its face.

“I also did a design called a dinner jacket – which looks like a tuxedo. But I did a ‘tango’ version, which looked like two jackets made from just the one napkin.”

Holly said her medals were the culmination of hours of napkin-folding practice: “I spent about 20 hours perfecting my designs just before the competition and I was really nervous about taking part – I was even dreaming about napkin folding!”

Scott also impressed the judges with his originality. He explained: “I made a liqueur coffee. But instead of using whisky or another spirit, I used Frangelico, which is a hazelnut liqueur from northern Italy. The judges loved it.

“They also liked the new twist I gave my Tequila Sunrise cocktail – swapping orange juice for mango juice and adding crushed oranges.”

Scott is passionate about cocktails and even has a mini-bar set up at home, at which which he mixes cocktails for his family and friends.

The Salon Culinaire competition attracted more than 70 students from around the country, including colleges in Birmingham, Liverpool Loughborough and Henley, with competitors displaying all manner of kitchen and restaurant skills.

The other Oxford & Cherwell Valley College students who won medals were Nick Clarke-Romeo, who also won gold for napkin-folding, and Jonathan Powell won a silver medal for his themed table lay-up and a silver for cooking Crêpes Suzette on a flambé lamp.

Now in their third year on the college’s catering and hospitality course, Holly and Scott hope their talents will take them on to bigger things. Holly said: “I would love to have my own coffeeshop – preferably in Australia.”

Scott said: “I want my own bar in Beverley Hills.”

Mark Roberts, the programme manager for hospitality travel and tourism at the college’s Oxford campus said: “All the students were outstanding, putting their skills to the test against their peers from other colleges. The professionalism and commitment they showed is to be commended.”

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