Bournemouth & Poole College trainee chefs cook up a storm

Trainee chefs from The Bournemouth and Poole College celebrated finishing their studies on the Specialised Chefs' Scholarship by cooking up some culinary treats for VIP guests at their graduation dinner held at the Royal Automobile Club, London.

John Williams MBE, executive head chef of The Ritz, London and executive chairman of the Academy of Culinary Arts hosted the evening where guests including parents of the young chefs, employers, members of the Academy, the Savoy Educational Trust and members of The College celebrated and praised the support and commitment of everyone involved.

As part of their apprenticeship, the students focus on professional cookery, food service, patisserie and confectionery and study a combination of block release training at The College's School of Hospitality and Food in Bournemouth and work-based learning with an employer.

This year the students have been completing their apprenticeships with employers such as Claridge's, The Ritz, Buckingham Palace, Roux Fine Dining, Chewton Glen Hotel, and Langan's Coq d'Or to name but a few. 

The students also benefit from additional training from food buyers, learning about provenance and organics with visits to farms producing food for Waitrose stores and taking part in food festivals across the summer.

Sharon Collett, vice principal commented: "This course demonstrates just how powerful and successful training partnerships can be. Thanks to the commitment and expertise of college staff and the support of Waitrose and the Academy of Culinary Arts, catering students from the Specialised Chefs course will become the elite of their profession. I congratulate the students and all of those involved in aspiring them to reach their goals."

The Bournemouth and Poole College's Hospitality and Food department has just been accredited by the National Skills Academy for Hospitality, one of only eight in the UK.

Words: Maria Bracken

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