🔥 Parma Challenge Recap – What a Day!
What a great afternoon of fun, energy, and a bit of chaos (the good kind).
This challenge was all about flipping the script — giving our chefs the task of teaching someone unfamiliar with the kitchen how to cook, using only written instructions and miming. No stepping in, no taking over — just communication, patience, and leadership.
At the same time, it gave our FOH team a real insight into the pressures of the kitchen — timing, multitasking, and the importance of clear communication under pressure. Safe to say, there’s a new level of respect across both sides of the pass after this one.
⚡ The Energy
The energy was unreal from the start.
Sienna and Molly were clearly the most nervous (in the best way), with Sienna even rocking a chef’s jacket to fully commit to the role — you love to see it.
🏅 The Results
4th Place – Young & Jackson (146 points)
Nick and Sean came out with great communication early, backed by strong motivation from their captain Trent… but that’s where it plateaued.
Nerves may have crept in — Sean jumped the gun early, leaving his schnitzel in the fryer a little too long (extra crispy was not the brief). Instructions weren’t fully followed, with chips and salad being pushed too early, leading to penalties.
A missed opportunity on presentation and judges’ bonus points hurt them here. A decent parma — just not a great one.
3rd Place – The Espy (203.5 points)
Missing out on second by just half a point, Sarjeena and Sienna were a fantastic team.
They listened well, stayed composed, and Sarjeena in particular was outstanding in how she communicated and settled the nerves. The parma itself was hot, juicy, and well executed.
The only thing holding them back was the salad — a bit too much dressing and not enough mixing, leaving clumps of carrot. So close.
2nd Place – The Corner (204 points)
Ben and Molly delivered a very strong performance.
Ben’s calm approach really helped settle Molly early, and they stayed composed throughout. A few points dropped for talking, but they made up for it with initiative — even offering gravy and cutlery at the end.
The parma was excellent, chips just needed a touch longer and a bit more seasoning to take it to the next level.
🥇 1st Place – The Tote (229.5 points incl. bonus)
Zara and Lily — the youngest team in the comp — absolutely stole the show.
Scoring 209.5 points plus a 20 point bonus, they delivered what was judged as a perfect parma. Calm, composed, and executed with confidence well beyond their years.
They missed out on training points due to being a late entry… but clearly didn’t need them.
👏 Final Thoughts
This is exactly what The Grand is about — teamwork, learning, stepping outside your comfort zone, and having a bit of fun along the way.
Huge credit to everyone who got involved. Whether you were cooking, teaching, or just watching — there was something in it for everyone.
And if nothing else… there’s now a whole new respect between FOH and BOH.
More to come 👀
