DINERS raised £4,500 to stage an industry competition at a New Forest college.

The three-course dinner for more than 120 hoteliers and caterers was held at Brockenhurst College.

Starting with canapes prepared by the Craft Guild of Chefs’ Omero Gallucci, there was a seafood starter made by Gary Kilminster from Essential Cuisine, followed by Dingley Dale pork fillet en croute cooked by Craft Guild of Chefs vice president Steve Scuffell and Tony Leck from The Pavilion Restaurant in Guernsey.

The lemon souffle on shortbread dessert was made by Taff Davies from the Combined Services Culinary Arts Team and Allan Collier from the College’s cookery school.

Tables for ten were sold for £450 with individual diners paid £50 for a ticket with money going towards a national chef competition to be held at Brockenhurst College in May.

For after-dinner entertainment there was a comedian and a live auction.

Hospitality students from the college worked alongside the chefs, getting valuable experience and making sure the event ran smoothly.

The May competition – the Wessex Salon Culinaire – is organised by the college’s head of hospitality, John MacArthur, in association with the Craft Guild of Chefs.

Following the dinner Mr MacArthur said: “It was a great night and I’m absolutely delighted that the best and brightest in UK hospitality recognises what we do here as important.”

He added: “Now we can look forward to the Wessex Salon Culinaire in May, which will see the best aspiring chefs in the country go head-to-head to impress a panel of industry judges.”

Hospitality student Tom Maginness said: “I was pretty nervous working alongside top chefs for paying guests, but it went well in the end.

“It’s events like this one, and of course the Wessex Salon Culinaire itself, that make Brock a special place to study hospitality,” he added.