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Earlier this month, New College Swindon opened their doors to their restaurant located in the North Star Campus, and welcomed Business Development Chefs Robin Dudley, Jonathan Harvey-Barnes and Business Development Manager, Gary Kilminster for an inspiration filled #ECKitchenTakeover!

During an Essential Cuisine #ECKitchenTakeover, our team of passionate chefs work alongside students in their training environment to create mouth-watering dishes, with the aim to teach the budding young chefs invaluable skills. 

Robin Dudley commented, "We had two fantastic days at Swindon College for our recent take over. It was great to see all the students engage as much as they did, with new skills being gleefully lapped up. With colleges being under the pressure they are at the moment, it's great to see the next generation of chefs coming through being given these opportunities, and then being willing to step up and continue to move our industry forward."

We caught up Paul Kelly, Chef Lecturer at New College Swindon to hear his thoughts. 

How impactful was this for your students? 

We had received support from your team during the lockdown period with the interactive demo session, so it was great for the students to learn more about the brand and how it it used in our sessions.

What does 2022 look like for you and your students? 

The students have worked harder this year than ever before. Their confidence is on the rise and with all the support we the lecturers and you the suppliers have provided, we are looking at our most successful year for retention and success rates. Employers are getting more involved so it's an all round win!

Would you recommend our Essential Cuisine #ECKitchenTakeover or Interactive Demo to your fellow food lecturers / teachers?

100% recommend both interactive demo's and the kitchen takeover! We are already planning this into our curriculum for the next cohort. 

Do you have any advice for future chefs and people wanting to enter the industry? 

Becoming a great chef is arguably as difficult as becoming a great sportsman. Keeping up with the demands of a kitchen can take everything out of you, no matter how much energy you start the day with. 

However, what you can do is pay attention to yourself. It’s tempting for a chef entering the industry for the first time to be completely gung-ho about their working hours, striving to take too many in an attempt to impress their bosses. Great work ethic is always commendable, but ensure your health comes first. This will allow your mental faculties to remain as sharp as they need to be to remain successful in that world. Stay Positive.

As a chef, you’re going to have days that absolutely wear you out. Keep yourself inspired and motivated. Follow great food blogs and read the life stories of great chefs, such as the great book ‘Kitchen Confidential’ by Anthony Bourdain. Watch food documentaries that will enthuse your passion for food. 

Lastly, what stood out for you the most during the session? 

Customer support and guidance from Robin Dudley, Jonathan Harvey-Barnes and Gary Kilminster has been outstanding throughout the process. The whole event was faultless. Feedback from the students agreed it was one of their best experiences so far! The support on the day of the events was outstanding and incredibly professional backed up with the knowledge and skills. It was a truly fantastic day. Huge thanks to all 3 of you for the hard work you have put in to help support, our students and I are really grateful.

Would you like our talented team of chefs to come to your college? Simply email advice@essentialcuisine.com!