12th April 2013
Spring 09 - Shipshape and Bristol fashion
With high quality facilities, it’s no wonder Bristol City College has made it through to some of the industry’s leading competitions.
You would think two restaurants, one café and six kitchens –soon to be eight – would be enough to keep the students at Bristol City College on their toes. However competing in contests to sharpen their skills is extra curriculum activity – and they love it.
“One of our students has previously won the under 23 ChefvChef competition, and one of our foundation degree students won the Pudz Amateur Pudding Chef of the Year title in January,” says Adrian Kirikmaa, who heads the restaurants and kitchens at the college.
It recently competed in the Brakes Student Challenge, and now it is gearing up for the Toque d’Or competition that challenges the kitchen and front of house. Having just taken part in the regional heats, it hopes it has done enough to reach the final that takes place in the summer.
The college is the second largest in the UK and has around 50,000 students, 250 of which are there to learn about catering and the hospitality industry. It runs a number of courses, full and part time, where students can progress from level 1 to foundation degree level. Full time students can take part in the chef diploma at level 1 and 2 and NVQ level 3 in advanced professional cookery, as well as a BTEC diploma/certificate in hospitality and a fast track NVQ 2 professional cookery for adult learners. Meanwhile part time students can sign up to a NVQ 2 professional cookery and NVQ 3 advanced professional cookery.
The college goes even further than this, says Kirikmaa. “We are able to offer apprenticeships and work based learning for people working in the catering and hospitality industry in a whole range of areas including professional cookery, food processing and cooking, reception, multi skilled hospitality, craft bakery, housekeeping and hospitality supervision.
“Progression for all courses can lead to the foundation degree in food and beverage management run in partnership with the University of Plymouth.”
He says short courses are also offered including British Institute of Inn Keeping – personal license holder, food hygiene, and Chartered Institute of Environmental Health healthier food and special diets.
Building on the college’s connections with the industry, Kirikmaa explains the importance of working with restaurants and hotels. “We work with local restaurants and hotels and establish strong links with them. We send all our students on work experience, which is essential to their learning.
“We also do a lot of training for hotels/restaurants and work with their staff to improve their skills. We run Bristol Junior Chef in conjunction with the Bristol Hotels Association, when 12 local hotels become mentors to young chefs for a week long competition in July,” he adds.
To highlight the college’s success rate, three former students have gained Michelin stars this year, says Kirikmaa. “Martin Burge from Whatley Manor has gained two Michelin stars this year, and Pete Sanchez from Casamia Restaurant, Bristol, and Will Holland from La Bécasse in Ludlow have gained Michelin stars for the first time – both fantastic achievements,” he says.
Aside from work placements, the college hosts training events which Kirikmaa plans to do more of. Last December the college staged an event with the Craft Guild that gave students a detailed introduction to the preparation and use of guinea fowl. “The demo was great,” says Kirikmaa. “All our students enjoyed themselves and Andy Stephenson, chef owner of Halliday’s Restaurant near Chichester, produced some magnificent dishes.
Key facilities at the college include practice kitchens where students can learn how to prepare fish and meat as well as desserts, bread and pastry. A purpose built demo area is also available where visiting chefs and staff can demonstrate their skills to students. The demo room also has recording equipment and video conference facilities.
“We have a DVD recorder in the Cabot Restaurant that can record restaurant service which can be used to feed back to the students. We also have a digital camera in the kitchen where students can take photos of their food and use them in their portfolios,” adds Kirikmaa.
The college also prides itself on serving contemporary European and Asian food in its restaurants and menus are changed every two weeks. “They need to be seasonal, well balanced and meet the students’ assessment criteria. We also try to use local produce where possible,” says Kirikmaa.
The Cabot Restaurant dishes includes scallops, black pudding and quail’s egg, and breast of duck, duck faggot and confit with jasmine scented jus, while the City Restaurant’s menu features terrine of chicken, and ham and leek with sourdough toast, port and redcurrant jelly.
Looking ahead, Kirikmaa says a new restaurant and kitchens in South Bristol specialising in bakery equipment is on the cards. With these new plans, it’s all systems go for the college.
“One of our students has previously won the under 23 ChefvChef competition, and one of our foundation degree students won the Pudz Amateur Pudding Chef of the Year title in January,” says Adrian Kirikmaa, who heads the restaurants and kitchens at the college.
It recently competed in the Brakes Student Challenge, and now it is gearing up for the Toque d’Or competition that challenges the kitchen and front of house. Having just taken part in the regional heats, it hopes it has done enough to reach the final that takes place in the summer.
The college is the second largest in the UK and has around 50,000 students, 250 of which are there to learn about catering and the hospitality industry. It runs a number of courses, full and part time, where students can progress from level 1 to foundation degree level. Full time students can take part in the chef diploma at level 1 and 2 and NVQ level 3 in advanced professional cookery, as well as a BTEC diploma/certificate in hospitality and a fast track NVQ 2 professional cookery for adult learners. Meanwhile part time students can sign up to a NVQ 2 professional cookery and NVQ 3 advanced professional cookery.
The college goes even further than this, says Kirikmaa. “We are able to offer apprenticeships and work based learning for people working in the catering and hospitality industry in a whole range of areas including professional cookery, food processing and cooking, reception, multi skilled hospitality, craft bakery, housekeeping and hospitality supervision.
“Progression for all courses can lead to the foundation degree in food and beverage management run in partnership with the University of Plymouth.”
He says short courses are also offered including British Institute of Inn Keeping – personal license holder, food hygiene, and Chartered Institute of Environmental Health healthier food and special diets.
Building on the college’s connections with the industry, Kirikmaa explains the importance of working with restaurants and hotels. “We work with local restaurants and hotels and establish strong links with them. We send all our students on work experience, which is essential to their learning.
“We also do a lot of training for hotels/restaurants and work with their staff to improve their skills. We run Bristol Junior Chef in conjunction with the Bristol Hotels Association, when 12 local hotels become mentors to young chefs for a week long competition in July,” he adds.
To highlight the college’s success rate, three former students have gained Michelin stars this year, says Kirikmaa. “Martin Burge from Whatley Manor has gained two Michelin stars this year, and Pete Sanchez from Casamia Restaurant, Bristol, and Will Holland from La Bécasse in Ludlow have gained Michelin stars for the first time – both fantastic achievements,” he says.
Aside from work placements, the college hosts training events which Kirikmaa plans to do more of. Last December the college staged an event with the Craft Guild that gave students a detailed introduction to the preparation and use of guinea fowl. “The demo was great,” says Kirikmaa. “All our students enjoyed themselves and Andy Stephenson, chef owner of Halliday’s Restaurant near Chichester, produced some magnificent dishes.
Key facilities at the college include practice kitchens where students can learn how to prepare fish and meat as well as desserts, bread and pastry. A purpose built demo area is also available where visiting chefs and staff can demonstrate their skills to students. The demo room also has recording equipment and video conference facilities.
“We have a DVD recorder in the Cabot Restaurant that can record restaurant service which can be used to feed back to the students. We also have a digital camera in the kitchen where students can take photos of their food and use them in their portfolios,” adds Kirikmaa.
The college also prides itself on serving contemporary European and Asian food in its restaurants and menus are changed every two weeks. “They need to be seasonal, well balanced and meet the students’ assessment criteria. We also try to use local produce where possible,” says Kirikmaa.
The Cabot Restaurant dishes includes scallops, black pudding and quail’s egg, and breast of duck, duck faggot and confit with jasmine scented jus, while the City Restaurant’s menu features terrine of chicken, and ham and leek with sourdough toast, port and redcurrant jelly.
Looking ahead, Kirikmaa says a new restaurant and kitchens in South Bristol specialising in bakery equipment is on the cards. With these new plans, it’s all systems go for the college.