Staff Events & Awards
Corkers annual staff awards
- Long Service Award – for new 5 year and 10 year people
- Dept trainer, coach, mentor of the year
- Sales person of the year
- Chef of the year
- Unsung Hero of the year
- Reservationists of the year
- First & last Impressions Award
- Drinks Specialist Award
- Sommelier of the Year
- Excellent Service Award
- Number Cruncher Award
- Best Manager, Assistant or Supervisor Award
- Rising Star Award
- Best Support/Regional Person
- CEO Special Award
- Hotel of the year
- General Manager of the Year
- Employee of the year
Ultimate Cook Off
Open to commis chefs to chef de partie level. Each applicant designs a three course, one choice menu based on classical, brasserie style dishes. Using appropriate seasonal produce the total selling price is £25 per person for all 3 courses. They put together the full recipe and costings.
The applications are then shortlisted to about 16 and the regional heats start. The 16 chefs are spilt into North and South and then they cook and present their menu in one of the hotels. They have 80 minutes to prepare their menu and they can bring their own ingredients and any items that require preparation in advance. The judges then pick the 8 most successful dishes based on how the dishes are cooked/prepared, the quality of the flavour, the texture, consistency, costs etc. Then 6 winners progress to the final.
At the final a mystery box of ingredients is presented and they are expected to prepare 1 starter, 1 main, 1 dessert within an hour and ten minutes of receiving the ingredients. An additional 15 minutes is given to allow them to decide on their menu. The judges for the final will be Keith, Robert Cook and a celebrity chef.
- 1st prize is a 2 week stage in a prestigious kitchen and £2000 gross
- 2nd prize is £1000 gross
- 3rd prize £500 gross
The winning chef has their dishes on every menu for Malmaison at the next menu change.
The Laroche Chablis Shunt
Teams are formed of people from different hotels – 5 in a team. All teams have been allocated £750. This covers the car, the petrol and the ferry across to France. So with a map of the UK and France, first aid kit, jump leads, French phrase book, blanket, euros, digital camera, shovel, snacks, water, and of course, passports, off they go. Setting off from Malmaison Charterhouse Square the race is on for the first car to reach the beautiful vineyards of Chablis.
A few breakdowns, a passport dash and a few jump starts later the 5 teams make their way to Dover, catch the ferry and are then on the home straight to the final goal. The teams are welcomed with a Laroche Chablis wine tasting at the top of the rolling vineyards, a dinner at the Laroche wine bar and a well deserved night's sleep. The next day starts with everyone raring to go to race back to London to complete the trip.
