HoW College Apprentices Cook Up a Storm

Heart of Worcestershire College’s Commis Chef Apprentices recently put their skills to the test as they participated in a mock end point assessment (EPA), cooking up a storm for their employers and guests.

Taking place at the College’s Worcester campus, each Commis Chef apprentice whipped up two courses, consisting of either a starter and main or main and dessert, showcasing the skills, knowledge and behaviour they have developed over the past 12 months in their course.

The apprentices are all currently undertaking the Commis Chef Standard working in various establishments across the Worcestershire County including The Swan at Whittington, Ostlers at Number 1, Colwall Park Hotel, The Mug House Bewdley, The Flyford, Liberty Leisure, The Nevill Arms and The Broom Hall Inn.

Talking about his apprenticeship Steve Pritchard, Commis Chef Apprentice at Ostlers at Number 1described his love for being in the kitchen and how he ‘wished he’d done it sooner’ after changing careers 18 months ago, following 30 years spent as an Engineer.

Each Chef not only selected, prepared, and cooked each of the dishes, they also took on extra responsibilities as servers, presenting their dishes to their guests.

Speaking about the mock assessment Andy Dean, Hospitality Learning Support and Development Officer said:

“Mock assessments such as these give the students a really great opportunity to prepare for their EPA which will mark the end of their apprenticeship programme. Each Commis Chef has demonstrated how hard they have worked within their programme, producing dishes to an exceptionally high standard.”

The apprentices will now continue to hone their skills in preparation or their final EPA in the coming months. We wish them the best of luck for their assessment and their future careers in the hospitality and catering sector.