Demo and Dine with Rachel Allen Success for SERC Students

Hospitality and Culinary Arts students from South Eastern Regional College (SERC) had the opportunity to work with celebrity chef, Rachel Allen when she visited the College’s Bangor Campus as part of Ards and North Down Borough Council’s Taste Autumn in Ards and North Down.

Rachel, the best-selling cookery writer, TV chef and celebrated teacher at the world-famous Ballymaloe Cookery School, was the star attraction of the Council’s Demo and Dine with Rachel Allen on Friday 6 September.   The (sell out) unique dining experience at Portavogie Harbour, included welcome drinks, canapés, starters, main course platters and dessert for lucky diners.

Rachel worked with students from the College’s Bangor, Downpatrick, Lisburn and Newtownards Campuses from the Level 2 Professional Chef, Level 3 Professional Cookery, and Level 3 Patisserie and Confectionery courses to prepare the food for the mouth-watering foodie experience.   She demonstrated some of the dishes from the menu, which featured the finest local produce curated by the Culinary Arts team at SERC.   The meal was served by the College’s Front of House team of students from the BTEC Level 3 Hospitality with Events and Ulster University Foundation Degree in Hospitality and Tourism with Specialisms.

The students got the chance to work again with Rachel, and with James Tanner, chef, author, and tv personality, at the Tide and Turf Festival Kitchen on Saturday 7 September.

Clare Gillen, Curriculum Manager for Hospitality and Culinary Arts at SERC said, “We were thrilled to welcome Rachel to SERC.  It was a fantastic experience for our students, some of which are just starting out on their culinary careers, to meet and experience work with a top tv chef and food writer.

“The students got to work with Rachel to create every part of the dining experience – from preparation, to cooking, to food and beverage service – so it was essentially a masterclass for our students with one of the most celebrated teachers at the world-famous Ballymaloe Cookery School in County Cork and best-selling cookery writer.”

Clare added, “We had really positive feedback from diners on the evening. Rachel was impressed with the enthusiasm and dedication of all the students involved in preparing different elements for each course to the front of house team responsible for the food and beverage service on the evening.” 

Level 3 Professional Chef students from Downpatrick Campus, Louis McClelland (Newcastle) and Chloe Kelly (Downpatrick) also planned and organised a seafood chowder concession, with wheaten bread produced by bakery students, during the festival as part of their project-based learning (PBL). Chloe also had the opportunity to work alongside Rachel Allen as her assistant during the demonstrations and fellow student, David Rea (Bangor), also from the Level 3 Professional Chef course got to assist James Tanner, chef, author and tv personality, and co-owner of The Kentish Hare, in Kent.

Clare concluded, “This was an excellent PBL experience for the students who traded alongside commercial concessions and sold all their produce. Their enterprise and entrepreneurship learning were put to the test, and they gained valuable insight and experience of catering for the demands of the public in a high-profile community food festival.”