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Talented catering students at The Sheffield College have secured a place in the finals of a prestigious industry competition.

Amos Peck, 17, and Destiny Breeze, 18, both from Sheffield, and Luke Swift, 17, from Barnsley, are set to compete in the Zest Quest Asia final.

Eight colleges have made it through to the finals, which take place next month, and The Sheffield College is the only one from Yorkshire to take part.

Andrew Gabbitas, Catering Lecturer, The Sheffield College, said: “We are really proud to get to the finals.

“Competing at this high level involves a lot of dedication and preparation time as the students need to research the topic and develop their practical skills.

“It’s an excellent way to prepare for a career in the industry. We are excited to see how the team gets on.”

Zest Quest Asia is a competition for college teams which tests students’ technical expertise, creativity, knowledge, understanding and appreciation of Asian cuisine. The students are completing a Level 2 Catering and Hospitality Diploma at City Campus, Granville Road.

Amos Peck said: “It feels really great to have got this far.” Destiny Breeze added: “We’ve put in so much hard work to prepare for the competition but it’s all been worth it. I am really enjoying the course and all the skills I am learning.”

Luke Swift commented: “It’s really exciting to have got through to the finals. I am enjoying learning about the different cooking methods and versatility of Asian cuisine. I’m really liking the course which has exceeded my expectations.”

Zest Quest Asia was founded by London-based restaurateurs Cyrus and Pervin Todiwala with the support of the Master Chefs of Great Britain.

Since its launch in 2013, the competition has been credited with raising awareness and interest in Asian flavours, cooking styles and techniques among a new generation of college-trained chefs.

College lecturers are encouraged to get involved by helping to motivate and mentor students who may be preparing classically influenced Asian cuisine for the first time.

To be selected for the final, the teams had to create a four course menu showcasing an Asian country’s cuisine or a combination of Asian countries’ cuisines. The teams also had to make a short video discussing why they had chosen that particular cuisine and the inspiration for their menu.

The next step will be for the teams to present their menu to a panel of judges on 9th April 2026 highlighting the importance of knowing and understanding the cuisine. The finals also involve a live cook off, which takes place the next day, at the University of West London.

During the cook off, students have two hours to produce a four-course meal. The marking criteria includes the authenticity of the dishes, presentation, taste and flavour, and teamwork.

The competition winners will be announced at a gala dinner at the Hilton London Wembley on 10th April 2026 attended by leading experts in the industry. The first prize is a culinary trip to Asia. Details will be revealed at the gala dinner.

The Sheffield College previously won Zest Quest Asia in 2024 and 2022 and came second in 2025.

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Pictured: Catering students at The Sheffield College have got through to the Zest Quest Asia 2026 finals. Photo credit: The Sheffield College.