ARMY chefs from across the country have been competing in the annual 3rd (United Kingdom) Division Christmas cake competition at Tidworth.

The annual event allows the soldiers from The Royal Logistic Corp to demonstrate skills not associated with daily catering tasks and allow them to let their festive imaginations run riot by using skills such as piping, flooding and sugar work.

This year the tasted category will feature the German ‘stollen’, alongside the traditional ‘decorated Christmas cakes’ and last year’s popular ‘ginger bread centrepieces.

There were 59 entries and four of the six prizes went to chefs from Salisbury Plain based units with the best cake and overall winner being awarded to Corporal Simaba Rae from 1 YORKS and Sergeant Liam Scott from 19 Regiment RA from Tidworth winning the Gingerbread Centrepiece and Corporal Thapa, also from 19 Regt winning the Stollen cake category with Corporal Cooper from Perham Down based 26 Engineer Regiment as runner up.

Judging was led by Colonel ‘Patch’ Reehal, Deputy Chief of Staff of 3 Div assisted by Amanda Borton, wife of the 3 Div GOC and Lt Colonel Jamie Balls, Garrison Commander and other staff officers from the division.

The competition organiser, Warrant Officer Class I Chris Hills, the Division Catering Warrant Officer, was pleased with the number and quality of the entries and explained that “This is an entry level competition, an arena where we can spot talent and develop it so that they can progress and perhaps become members of the Combined Services Culinary Arts Team which was awarded a Gold medal in Luxembourg last week.”

“Royal Logistic Corps chefs can stand shoulder to shoulder with the best in the world,” he added.

“I think that the standard of entries is very high”, said Amanda Borton. “I am a baker so I was able to cast a novice practised eye on the entries and given how young some of the competitors are, I thing that they have done extremely well.”

Gingerbread winner, Liam Scott was very pleased with his success, “I spent a lot of time, often late at night, on my entry, it was far more difficult than I thought it would be. Problems included my roof collapsing resulting in a rebuild, but I made it and am very pleased with my win.”