Degree students get skills boost

Students who are starting on the College's Culinary Arts Management degree programme this year have been given the chance to brush up on their cooking skills before the course gets under way.

The College has once again offered a five-week bridging programme for students who fulfilled the academic requirements for the course but did not have qualifications or experience in food preparation.

The group of 30 has been trained in the basic skills they will need, including preparing meat and fish dishes, pastry work, food hygiene and health and safety, so they are ready to deal with all the practical aspects of the course.

They have been working in the College's training kitchens, as well as the kitchens used by the College's restaurants, where they will soon be preparing meals for diners as part of their course.

Lecturer Nigel Davis offers advice

Student Matthew Baxter, from Tamworth, said: "It's been really enjoyable - I don't have much experience in cooking and I'm sure this programme will help me when I start the degree course.

"I’ve enjoyed cooking the meat and fish dishes so far, and I’m looking forward to the pastry work we'll be doing, as that will be a new challenge.

"The next year should be really good and I’m looking forward to it. I'm interested in the cooking, but also the management side, so I hope my time on the course and on placement will help me make a decision on what to do for a career."

Helen Evens, from Peterborough, added: "What we've learned so far has been very interesting, the chefs have all been helpful and I've been impressed by how well-equipped the kitchens are.

"I do have some experience in cooking, but it's always good to refresh your knowledge - I definitely want to be a chef so I’m looking forward to learning more here."

Lecturer Nigel Davis said: "This is a fairly intensive programme for students who have an academic background, but not the experience in cooking, so they are brought up to a reasonable level of understanding.

"It gets them used to the basics of cooking and the terminology we use, and they also get to find their way around the College and meet the lecturers. All students who've done this in the past have said what a great benefit it is when they start the course."