All in Good TASTE

TASTE Restaurant Relaunch at West London College

TASTE Restaurant at West London College held an official relaunch event last Friday, October 4, with a special canapé and fizz reception at Hammersmith & Fulham College.

Fifty guests, including VIPs, The Deputy Mayor of Hammersmith and Fulham, Cllr Daryl Brown, Ben Coleman MP and Principal Karen Redhead OBE, CEO and Principal all attended to celebrate the wonderful facelift carried out by Sue Clancy and her team of designers from Surrey-based Creed Miles.

Daryl said

“I am very happy to be here today to celebrate the relaunch of Taste Restaurant.  I used to teach here at the college previously, so it makes it even more special that I’m here today as Deputy Mayor.

During my term as Mayor of Hammersmith and Fulham four years ago, I attended a Chefs’ Forum event at The Dorchester and was able to see first-hand the students getting the opportunity to work at one of London’s most iconic hotels.  It is great to see so many high-profile employers here today and members of the local constituency, who can look forward to many themed nights here at the newly re-furbished Taste Restaurant.”

Key sponsors of The Chefs’ Forum also came together to celebrate the reopening and showcase their common purpose of supporting the next generation of hospitality and catering professionals.

Denise Charles, Head of Curriculum for Hospitality and Catering at West London College said

“The new fit-out means so much to all of us here at Taste Restaurant. We have a brilliant schedule of Themed Nights planned and are very much looking forward to welcoming all of our guests back to enjoy them with us.

We now have a smart new dining destination here at the college and this will enhance our guests’ experience and bring a touch of style and sophistication to our food and service offer.

I am so very grateful to my team, the students and all of our guests today for their unwavering dedication and support.”

Theme nights

• Tuesday 22nd October 2024 – Black History Month Dinner
• Thursday 22nd November 2024 – Beaujolais Day Dinner
• Tuesday 10th December 2024 (other dates throughout December) – Christmas Dinner
• Thursday 23rd January – Burns Night

The guests were able to discover the latest culinary equipment and technology on the market including CookTek Induction hobs, the new Heinzelmann Chef-X and the RobotCréme.

Guests enjoyed delicious canapés and drinks prepared by students under the mentorship of Chef Lecturer, Bob Carruthers, offering a taste of the newly enhanced dining experience.

Canapé Menu:

• Fennel Crackers with Crab, Dill & Citrus Mayo
• Duck Rillettes Croustades
• Venison Tournedos Rossini
• Wild Mushroom Tumble Weeds with Sage Crème Fraiche
• Gazpacho with Piccolo Tomatoes & Clementines
• Apple Crumble
• Coconut Macaroon
• Profiteroles

Meet The Sponsors

The Chefs’ Forum and West London College would like to extend heartfelt thanks to First Choice Produce and Lincolnshire Game for sponsoring delicious fresh and wild produce for the students to create the wonderful canapé menu.  Lincolnshire Game supply wild venison and game to the college, free of charge to ensure the next generation of chefs acquire the necessary skillsets of processing, butchering and cooking with the various species as the season progresses.  Similarly, First Choice Produce sponsors seasonal fruit and vegetable varieties at all college events, so the students understand about creating seasonal menus and sourcing from top quality suppliers.

David Hennessy, CEO of Pastry Gelato Equipment was proud to show-off the new RobotCréme machine to the visiting chefs and the students on the day, making a wonderful pot of deconstructed fruit crumble for them all to try, he said

“Today has been brilliant, there was so much interest in the RobotCréme and how its various functions can help reduce labour intensity in the professional kitchen.  I was able to make custard, sweet pastry crumble and a lovely berry fruit coulis, all in the same machine to create the little pots of loveliness that everyone enjoyed.  This was a wonderful event and the college has done an amazing job in creating a beautiful restaurant space and stylish training restaurant for the students in which to learn from the very best in the business via weekly masterclasses from industry professionals.  I’m very much looking forward to coming in myself and teaching the A-Z of gelato!”

SOS Catering Equipment had the new Chef-X thermal blender on display and again, the chefs were very impressed.

MCS Technical Products were showcasing the beautiful new CookTek Helios Induction hobs and has supported the college with adapting three phase plugs on 10 existing CookTek hobs, to single phase free of charge.

The Tokyo College of Sushi and Washoku was also in attendance, offering trial days at their new purpose-built facility in White City.  The students and visiting chefs are very much looking forward to visiting the Sushi Masters to learn all about Japanese cuisine.

Saucery UK also took the opportunity to promote its range of fresh finishing sauces for chefs, now available through Ritter Courivaud – The launch event was great opportunity to generate new interest in the range.

TASTE Restaurant acts as a vital training ground for students, allowing them to gain hands-on experience under the guidance of expert chefs and mentors.

This event presents a unique opportunity for industry leaders, leading hospitality employers and educators to collaborate in nurturing future talent. West London College’s commitment to fostering innovation and excellence in hospitality education shines through in this exciting relaunch.

Photography by Carlos Farinha