Kent catering students take culinary tour around the world

Taking in tom yum soup and samosas from Asia, pasta and pesto from Italy and British apples from Kent, 400 catering students took a culinary trip around the world at the recent 'Delicious! Creative Cooking' event at Canterbury College.

Contract caterer for education, Chartwells, joined forces with Kent Works and Canterbury College to host a two-day event for catering, hospitality and cookery students in Key Stages 3 and 4 and NVQ levels 1, 2 and 3.

The event gave students the opportunity to gain an insight into the catering and hospitality industry through chefs' demonstrations, tasting sessions and ingredients tests.

Chartwells chefs, including executive chef Andrew Walker, ran four themed work stations which were set up in the College's main hall. These professional chefs were assisted by Year 2 and 3 Canterbury College catering students who acted as commis chefs.

At the Asian pod, chefs cooked Far Eastern delights including soup and dim sum from China and samosas from India. Students were also put through their paces when asked to identify typical Asian ingredients including lemongrass, ginger and garlic.

Meanwhile on the apple station students mastered the essential skills necessary for making French Tarte Tatin and apple sorbet.

The Italian area, which proved particularly popular among students, saw chefs demonstrate authentic ways of making tortellini, green basil pesto and home-made tomato sauce for pasta before inviting students to taste their creations.

Plaiting bread and making and baking rolls were on the menu at the final station, dedicated to bread.

Tony Byrne, business director at Chartwells, said: "There was fantastic interaction between the school students, college students and chefs which made the event enjoyable as well as informative."

Words: Clare Riley

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