A HOSPITALITY student from Ely received widespread acclaim for her performance a national competition to inspire and educate young people in the hospitality industry.

Ashlea, Collen-Quirke, 18, formed part of a two-person team which competed in A Passion to Inspire, a competition where students were tasked with providing a fine-dining experience for guests.

Ashlea and her partner Lauren Morris, both students at the College of West Anglia, were given two hours to demonstrate their skills as chef and waiter.

The duo had to produce a main course and dessert for two. They also produced a menu for the competition, to include matching wine.

The pair excelled and took home second place in the heat. They will go through to contest a final at Cambridge Regional College later this month.

The judges for the heat are all from local establishments including lead judge Paul Foster, from Tuddenham Mill, headed a panel of four judges with Sam Bryant, head chef at Stratton’s Hotel, in Swaffham, Murray Chapman and Hannah Peckham, restaurant manager at Tuddenham Mill.

Lead judge Paul Foster said: “This is the third year that I have judged the competition and I have noticed is that not only has the standard improved, but I have seen an improvement in the effort that everyone has put in.”