Top industry recognition given to former hospitality student
It's official. Former UCB student, Brad Gent, is one of the best at what he does and we are proud to shout about his success.
Brad, 30, gained a BA(Hons) Hospitality Business Management from UCB and now holds the position of restaurant manager at award winning Opus Restaurant in Birmingham city centre. Recently he was awarded the status of Master of Culinary Arts by the Academy of Culinary Arts, an honour given only every four years to celebrate outstanding craftsmanship in the culinary and front of house trades.
To gain the Award Brad had to submit a written entry which included four written pieces on his skills and achievements, then go through two intense interviews about his careers and Opus' menu and wine list.
To round off the process, Brad then travelled to Le Gavroche restaurant in London for a series of skills tests, including decanting wine, blind tasting and identifying cheeses, making a Caesar salad at the table and serving and plating a whole pineapple. He was then filmed serving a four course meal so that the top industry judges could subsequently analyse his every move to see if his work met the required standards.
After all that, it was a waiting game to hear the results which were finally announced at a gala presentation dinner at Claridge's.
Professor Ray Linforth, Principal, University College Birmingham said:
"We are all delighted to hear of Brad's wonderful achievement at gaining this prestigious industry status. His practical skills, people skills and dedication to his work have brought him this far and he is a great role model for young people looking to take up hospitality as a career. Working front of house in a hospitality environment can be exceptionally rewarding. You are the first point of contact for customers and it's all about making their experience right from the start, which takes skill and judgement, qualities which Brad has in abundance. Being part of the Opus team has provided a great showcase for Brad and he is definitely one to watch in the future."
The Birmingham Evening Mail and Birmingham Post have featured articles on Brad and his achievements. You can read these articles by viewing the following:
Visit our Hospitality Degree courses page or Vocational Hospitality courses page for more detailed information on Hospitality at University College Birmingham.