Talented young chefs graduate from Saturday academies

Food-loving schoolchildren have completed expert academies at UCB, boosting their bakery and cookery skills while learning about healthy eating. 

The young chefs learned how to make appetisers, main courses and desserts under the guidance of chef lecturers Mathew Shropshall and Richard Dutton. Would-be bakers picked up top tips on cakes, cookies and morning goods from bakery technician Jonathan Robson and lecturer Simon Manton. The youngsters are now well placed for further culinary studies and careers in the hospitality industry. 

During the final week of their two-month training, the students baked delicious treats and cooked a three-course meal for family and friends before attending a graduation ceremony. Amy White, a second-year Professional Cookery student and Young Chef Academy graduate, gave a short speech on the benefits of the academy and the doors it can open. 

Mat said the academy graduates represented the future of the hospitality industry. He said: “Having supported different Saturday schools at UCB over the past nine years, we have seen some great young chefs come through our programmes and go on to be great chefs in the industry. 

“I’m also proud to be involved with mentoring in the FutureChef National School competition, supporting Craft Guild of Chefs Food Appreciation Workshops across the country and ‘have a go’ days, which allows local schools into UCB with their teachers to undertake a day in the kitchen. Many of our Young Chefs Academy students go on to enter these schemes.” 

The Savoy Education Trust sponsors the academies as part of its commitment to investing in the future of the hospitality industry. The British Culinary Federation also supports the scheme. 

The next academies will take place during January/February 2015 for Years 10 and 11. The classes run on a Saturday over an eight-week period from 9am-1pm.  

For more information on the Young Chefs Academy, please contact: Syd Adkins Fouracre on r.adkins@ucb.ac.uk.