Caroline's Profile
Job title
Senior Lecturer
Academic qualifications
NVQ level 3 in Advanced Professional Cookery and Patisserie
"Never forget that what you put in is what you’ll get out."
After graduating in Advanced Professional Cookery, I landed a prestigious role as pastry chef in Claridge’s hotel, London. Those early days were intense - long hours, high standards, and a steep learning curve. But being surrounded by some of the country’s top chefs (and baking cookies for Jennifer Lopez!) taught me resilience, discipline, and the joy of perfecting my craft.
Eventually, I launched my own catering business, specialising in fine dining, afternoon teas, and celebration cakes. But it was the opportunity to teach and share my passion for patisserie that really sparked something in me. Inspired by a college lecturer, I transitioned into teaching and was delighted to join UCB in 2014.
Over ten years later, I started to teach a range of modules across both Further and Higher Education, relating to patisserie, confectionery, and kitchen and restaurant operations. I also have a particular specialism and passion for working with chocolate. I love watching students develop, from tentative first attempts to mastering complex techniques, often in just a few months.
As Senior Lecturer for the College of Food, I’ve taken the Culinary Arts Management course through the revalidation process, and have written new curriculum and modules for both the Culinary Arts Management and BA Professional Chef courses. I regularly judge competitions including; innovation and classic cake categories at the Alliance for Bakery, Student and Trainee conference and competition, as well as ‘Britain’s Best Croissant’, and I’m always on the lookout for new trends and techniques. Instagram is a constant source of inspiration for me, which highlights how fortunate today’s students are to have access to such tools.
Drawing from my past experiences in this industry, I've built my classes around the power of hands-on experience and visual learning. Mistakes are part of the learning and development process. I always encourage students to see them as opportunities to learn and improve. My advice to students is to go after exactly what you want and never settle. It’s important to ask questions, try new things, and remember that what you put in is what you get out.
Outside of teaching, my passions include horse riding, playing netball, and I’m a big fan of the Yellowstone series on Netflix.