Ardilaun at School Pastry Competition
Ardilaun Pastry Chef - Galway’s only GMIT student represented in the European Association of Hotel and Tourism Schools Pastry Competition
Paula Stakelum, Pastry Chef at The Ardilaun Hotel was recently selected as the only representative from the Culinary Arts and Tourism Department of Galway Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) to take part in the pastry competition this week in conjunction with the 22nd Annual Conference of the European Association of Hotel and Tourism Schools in Dubrovnik, Croatia.
Paula will have stiff competition this week as she competes against 34 other countries and will team up with one other student from a different country. When they meet this week, they will be given a mystery basket of ingredients in which they have to produce four plated sweet dishes for the judges - three cold sweet dishes and one variety of a hot sweet dish. Each dish will be prepared for five persons. There will be written and practical tasks involved, and she will be supported by her Lecturer Mary Reid of Galway Mayo Institute of technology who has tutored and encouraged her along the way, with sponsorship through Failte Ireland. The judges will be looking for knowledge of cooking methods used in pastry, creative flair and the principles of food safety analysis.
Paula who joined The Ardilaun team four years ago works full-time at the hotel and also is in her third year studying in Galway Mayo Institute of Technology for a Bachelor of Arts in Culinary Arts. Paula who is no stranger to competitions and was finalist in the Young Chef of the Year award in 2007, and was the only Galway Chef chosen for the final of the prestigious National Irish Valrhona Patisserie Championship competition which took place in Dublin earlier this year which was sponsored by Valrhona Chocolate and Odaios Foods.
Twenty two year old Stakelum shows her expertise and skill in The Ardilaun kitchen and is responsible for producing all the desserts and pastries prepared for the Camilaun Restaurant and recently opened Bistro at The Ardilaun Hotel.
Over the last few months David O Donnell Executive Chef and the Sous Chefs Mary & Dominique of The Ardilaun have acted as mentors and coach to Stakelum and this week will see the fruits of their labour. “Paula’s pastry creations are influenced by a love of pastries European style and are acquired from her experiences of The Ardilaun” says O’ Donnell.
