It was with great excitement that K-Bar supervisor, David Cooper (pictured third from left), was announced as winner of the ‘Best Signature Cocktail’ award at the TUCO (The University Caterers Organisation) Competitions in Warwick last week.

David, who took part in the Bar Skills Competition, won the judges over with his signature coffee-based cocktail, the Café Noisette. Inspired by the French hazelnut coloured coffee, the drink featured whiskey, coffee liqueur and hazelnut syrup. In addition, David also had to create a sharing drink, a beer or cider based cocktail, and as many gin and tonics as he could in one minute.

However, David was not the only competitor representing Kent at the Competitions this year. Katy Webb from Dolche Vita wowed the judges with her coffee expertise in the Barista Skills Challenge. Sam Ranger from The Street Kitchen showed off his talent for fast food in the Campus Speed Cook Challenge. And Chefs de Cuisine Ben Elsbury and Rob Grimer plated up a delicate three course meal in the Chefs’ Challenge.

The TUCO Competitions is an annual contest which sees over 150 delegates from 50 universities compete against each other in a wide range of culinary and aristological activities.