Gurkhas win award making sculpture from lard

Army Gurkha chefs are celebrating winning a prestigious award after making eye-catching sculptures from lard. The soldiers shaped the ivory-like statues with their bare hands. Each intricate carving took around 100 hours to create.

Chefs from the Queens Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment won catering awards for sculptures including a dragon and a Buddha statue.

Lance Corporal Amrit Limbu, 27, used three 11lbs blocks of lard to create the Buddha statue, working for up to 12 hours a day for eight days. He made an inner structure from wire and muslin before adding the animal fat.



Lc Cpl Limbu, whose regiment is based in Aldershot, Hants, said: "It took a really long time to do the preparation. However, as it finally started to take shape and come to life, it started to get really exciting. It took a long time overall, but I was very pleased with what I produced, and delighted with my award."

The regiment's commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Duncan, said: "It never ceases to amaze me how the Gurkha chefs manage to produce something so spectacular out of a block of fat."

Fat carving is a very old European tradition which grew out of a desire to decorate and embellish the presentation of food for feasts and elegant meals.

There's a news video here.