Coleg Gwent to Stage Ground-Breaking Hospitality Industry Taster Day

The Chefs’ Forum Academy launched at Coleg Gwent in September 2019 to enhance employer-engagement for catering and hospitality students at the college. Wednesday 29th January 2020 will see a fantastic showcase of culinary expertise, canapés, cookery demos and butchery take place at Marriott St Pierre (Chepstow) to showcase the industry and drive registrations to Coleg Gwent hospitality courses for the coming academic year.

Chefs’ Forum Founder Catherine Farinha stated

“It was a real honour to be asked to stage this event by the college. The Chefs’ Forum Academy is going from strength to strength and feedback from teaching staff and students is fantastic.”

“If a handful of students who attend the forthcoming Hospitality Industry Taster Day event are inspired to study catering and hospitality as a result of the fantastic industry experts on show today, then our work is done. We are collectively combatting the chef shortage and showcasing how fantastic a career in the industry can be!”

The decision was taken to stage an industry taster day for 14-16’s from local feeder schools to raise the profile of careers within the hospitality in Wales and the fantastic curriculum enrichment offered to students studying catering and hospitality at Coleg Gwent. The College has invested in an enhanced programme of study which sees guest chefs visit the students in their training kitchens and cook with them for a three-hour session each week.

Helen Lawless, Head of School – Services to People added

“Our collaboration with The Chefs’ Forum Academy is working very well indeed for all involved; We have received great feedback from our learners, teaching staff and the chefs as guest lecturers. Professional chefs from all over Wales are coming to teach in our college each week, delivering cookery masterclasses in their unique cooking styles – We are currently the only college in Wales to offer such an intensive level of curriculum enrichment with The Chef’ Forum Academy. Any young person coming to Coleg Gwent can expect to learn from the very best in the business, in their usual learning environment. Coleg Gwent is proud to invest in its students: The next generation of hospitality professionals.”

Welsh schools attending the Taster Day will include Newbridge School, St Cenydd School, St Martin’s School, Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni, St Alban’s.

The interactive event aims to showcase how rewarding and exciting a career in the sector can be and inspire young chefs and industry stars of the future.

Guests will be welcomed with non-alcoholic ‘mocktails’ created and served by Coleg Gwent hospitality students. There will also a be number of canapés on offer which were prepared by Coleg Gwent catering students along with Chef Lecturer Gavin George, the Marriott, and professional chefs from The Chefs Forum.

All chef demonstration dishes will be accompanied by taster canapés of the same dish being served by Coleg Gwent front of house students to the visiting school children.

The budding young chefs will be given the opportunity to speak to representatives from The Chefs’ Forum Academy, Coleg Gwent catering and hospitality lecturers and the Marriott Careers team about careers in the industry, learning at Coleg Gwent and the masterclasses they can expect to enjoy if they choose to study hospitality and catering at Coleg Gwent.

For more information on hospitality and catering courses at Coleg Gwent visit:

https://www.coleggwent.ac.uk/learning/full-time/catering-hospitality

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