July 2015
Students gain work experience with Glynn Purnell
Read time: approx 1 mins
Four Food and Beverage students have been given the opportunity to work at Birmingham restaurant Purnell’s as part of an industry enrichment initiative.
Rebecca Farren, Sam Berry, Andrew Marsh and Megan Shenton have been working for the Yummy Brummie at his two city centre establishments Purnell’s and Purnell’s Bistro.
The students have been working with the restaurant and bistro’s full-time staff to help organise events, set up furniture and serve food and drink to guests to the high standards that Glynn Purnell is known for.
"It was an interesting and useful experience, I learned what it is like to work in a fine-dining, Michelin star restaurant. I really enjoyed having the chance to meet and work with Glynn Purnell."
"Working at Purnell’s has been an unforgettable experience. Our colleagues were brilliant and made sure that we were well looked after. As a result of this placement, I have been offered a job at the restaurant, so I would like to thank my lecturer, Christine, for giving us this opportunity."
For their outstanding efforts, the four students received a certificate from the head chef, which they can attach to their CVs as a testament of their skills and initiative.
Christine Alberto, Food and Beverage lecturer at UCB, said:
"These enrichment activities help to expose our students to the industry and give them an insight to what it’s like to work in a real restaurant or bar setting. It’s about given them the chance to work outside of the university and fine-tune the skills they will need to succeed in their line of work such as presentation, organisation and discipline. Industry enrichment is an important part of their studies. It helps to build their confidence, experience the diverse range of roles within the industry and help them adapt to the challenges of being hospitality professionals."