In brief

Kumiko Mizuno, a student at the Birmingham College of Food, Tourism and Creative Studies, has been awarded the City & Guilds Bronze Medal for Excellence for her pâtisserie work. Japanese-born Mizuno, who specialises in chocolate work, has just completed a craft diploma in bakery (NVQ level 2) at the college.

The City & Guilds judging panel commented that Mizuno's portfolio was the most outstanding that it had seen for the category since the qualification had been introduced. Mizuno is pictured with some of her recent sugar handiwork.

Aramark has made good use of James Martin after winning the celebrity chef's professional services for a day in a recent competition run by Caterer & Hotelkeeper and Glanbia Food Service.

It put Martin to work in its kitchens to cook a dish which he created specially for the occasion: asparagus and mascarpone risotto with tiger prawns and salsa verde, served with asparagus spears.

Aramark estimates that he served 250 lunchtime covers in the space of 40 minutes.