Eastleigh College Hospitality and Catering students recently enjoyed an action-packed industry week, which highlighted the variety of jobs in the industry, while developing the skills they have learned even further.
The week involved demonstrations and workshops with suppliers and businesses, giving students insight into what goes on behind the scenes in a successful restaurant. Harvest Fine Foods, Essential Cuisine, Elegant Wines, The Hog Shack, Owtons Family Butchers, Moonroast Coffee and the Outdoor BBQ Chef, were just some of the businesses involved.
Students visited local supplier Harvest Fine Foods and got to see first-hand how food orders are processed, from chef ordering through to the delivery, giving students an insight into an area of the industry they have not yet been exposed to. During the week, students also enjoyed demonstrations on how to produce bacon, and the story of coffee bean to cup!
Hospitality and Catering student, Harry, benefitted from the demonstrations. He explains, “I enjoyed being given particular ingredients and told to just cook because it’s taught me that you have to think about it yourself and can’t always just follow a recipe. I made my own dish and learnt how to make a sauce I’d never even heard of before.”
The week also included a visit from White Horse Romsey, who worked with students to deliver afternoon tea, while Chesil Rectory participated in a guest chef night producing a three-course menu with the students. All of which gave the aspiring chefs experience working under pressure.
James Allen, from Chesil Rectory states, “We’re so lucky to have a catering department right on our doorstep and we’re always happy to do as much as we can to help the students.”
Cornelius Veakins, Outdoor BBQ Chef, comments on his visit to the College, “I’ve worked with chefs of all calibres and this is an opportunity for me to share my knowledge and hopefully add to the students futures.”
He adds, “I wish I had the opportunity to go through something similar at their stage in life as the skills you learn from this exposure are invaluable. Whether they continue in this profession or go into another industry, the course skills they learn will hold them in good stead for the rest of their life.”
Eastleigh College prepares students for the workplace and its contacts in industry have proven invaluable, with students utilising this for routes into employment and work experience placements. To find out more about our student success stories, visit the Eastleigh College website.