Let’s be honest, for most students College food is nothing to write home about. The word ‘buttery’ is ubiquitously associated with overcooked meat and a small helping of the same pudding that has been on offer for days. But then, as undergraduates, we rarely encounter the positively glamorous world of college hospitality – Formal Hall with Sainsbury’s finest rosé does not count. This side of College catering is what the University of Cambridge Culinary Competition is all about.

The standard is spectacular. Given that I attended the competition without having had lunch I may be given to hyperbole; yet I think it is fair to describe the food presented less as dishes than as art one would feel too guilty to dig a spoon into. In the cold sweets section I noticed a chocolate sculpture of a water-well, intricately carved to include a bucket not much bigger than a finger nail hanging from a rope (pictured).

This year’s contest has attracted a record number of entries with 72 chefs from 16 different Colleges participating. According to Bill Simonet, Catering Manager at Selwyn College and a co-ordinator of the event, the keenness of this year’s contest has paid dividends: “The standard of the competition this year has been fantastic,” he said, “probably even better than last year. Many things contributed to the record number of entries this year, if not the 800th anniversary then perhaps the location which is central and close to all the Colleges.”

The competition encompasses eight different classes; canapés, cold starters, hot main courses, hot vegetarian main courses, the under-21s, cold sweets, afternoon tea cakes and petits fours. In addition to this, nine front of house staff have entered the competition to show off their waiting and table setting skills.

The judges include an MBE, Peter Griffiths, and 15 other respected members of the food industry: chefs, catering managers and food hygiene specialists. These people are responsible for deciding who wins the award for Best in Show and Best Newcomer, as well as the Steward’s Cup for the College team that wins the most points throughout the competition.

In this, Sidney Sussex College are the team to beat. Last year their small but dedicated team of seven chefs beat off stiff competition from Emmanuel and Queens’ to win the Cup; this year they form the biggest contingent in the competition with not only seven chefs but five front of house staff entered. Pembroke College and Emmanuel College have, however, the most entries by class.

Speaking to some of the competitors reveals just how much effort goes into the preparation of the dishes, Bill Simonet said: “Chefs will often have to make just one dish over a matter of days and entrants in the competition put their final touches on today’s entries in the early hours of this morning.” This is particularly impressive given that participating chefs must keep up with their regular catering duties during competition time.

However, according to Stephen Mather the effort is worth it: “On an individual level, apart from winning the actual awards, all of our winners are given recognition for their efforts in their personal development reports which in turn helps with their career progression.”

It is unlikely that students will reap much of the benefits of the Colleges’ latest haute cuisine. Still, the College Culinary Competition is a testament to the quality, range and creativity of food being concocted somewhere in the depths of our Colleges to be devoured by people more important than ourselves.