“You go to places like Fumo, Tattu, Marco Pierre White’s, which are always rammed, and you’ll find students we’ve taught working there,” she said. “But we need to be talking to more executive chefs and managers about collaboration – guest speaking, for example.”

To achieve this, Kali will be working with the department’s head of higher education, chef lecturer Lewis Walker, to ensure there are excellent enhancement and enrichment opportunities for students and the curriculum is engaging and industry-focused.

The mission has already started, with chef lecturer Richard Taylor organising guest speakers such as Michelin-starred chef Adam Smith, a University College Birmingham graduate, to talk to students and recreate dishes in their own kitchens over Zoom every Thursday since the last lockdown began.

And as a hands-on head, Kali – who will continue to teach pastry skills on further education and degree courses – has even been teaching students how to make authentic Indian food over Zoom herself, her last session a masterclass in how to make chicken curry, pilau rice, keema peas, dhal and derivatives of chapati.

In terms of whether students should be apprehensive about entering the industry right now, Kali said: “If you really want to be a chef or in hospitality, I don’t think you should be hesitant to enrol on a course – people will always want to eat out.

“And after working hard to ensure students have been able to learn their skills online, we are, thankfully, able to resume face-to-face teaching this week, which is fantastic.

“Cooking is a special skill, a life skill, and while it can be a mad industry, we all love it.”

Find out more about degrees, college courses and apprenticeships within the Birmingham College of Food.

To find out more about how the department can help your business, email Kali at K.Davidson@ucb.ac.uk