Neil Rippington Joins The Chefs’ Forum as Director of Education

The Chefs’ Forum is delighted to announce that Neil Rippington has accepted the permanent position of Director of Education for The Chefs’ Forum. As an organisation we are able to offer consultancy and support on a wide range of College and University projects through The Chefs’ Forum and The Chefs’ Forum Academy network of colleges.

Neil has spent the last twenty-seven years in the education sector, lecturing at various UK colleges including South Essex College, Redbridge College, Colchester Institute and most recently for the past ten years as Dean of The College of Food and Hospitality Management at University College Birmingham.

Neil has supported many colleges in the UK, providing colleges with consultation and advice. Neil currently sits on on the Route Panel for Apprenticeships and T-Levels in Hospitality and Catering for the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education. As well as publishing many books on hospitality and catering, Neil is also a subject matter expert for Ofqual and City and Guilds. Neil has recently co-created a programme in ‘Culinary Psychology’, which he is delivering virtually at Harvard University, USA.

We would like to take this opportunity to welcome Neil to the team and look forward to working with our colleges to galvanise and support teaching teams in UK catering colleges.

Here are some of the services offered, but bespoke support and specialist projects will be considered on an individual basis.

■ Curriculum quality audits – a critical-friend style review, rather than graded and published through a reward recognition, e.g., Gold, Silver, Bronze (as some organisations do)

■ In addition to the above, preparing for inspection, interpreting the Education Inspection Framework and providing evidence of impact

■ In addition to the above, lesson observations from a specialist view across levels 1 to 7 (FE to HE)

■ Lesson planning with differentiation in mind, personalising the curriculum, developing strategies for stretch and challenge

■ HE curriculum development across Hospitality Management, Culinary Arts, Patisserie, Food Science/New Product Development

■ Validation preparation – submitting new or revised programme proposals, gathering the required data and evidence of need. Establishing panel members, external experts, etc

■ International Student Recruitment, particularly in HE markets

■ FE curriculum development, in line with industry trends, future skills needs and recovery strategies/opportunities. For example:
■ An introduction to T-Levels and their implementation within the curriculum
■ Financial awareness – costing, budgeting, performance analysis, menu engineering
■ Personal contribution to a business and the wider skills, knowledge and behaviours desired by employers
■ Current and ongoing developments in issues concerning sustainability – waste, purchasing considerations, seasonality, ethical practices, energy use, etc
■ Technology and electronic communications, including social media and responsibility
■ Maths and English and its importance to the development of the industry

■ Analysis of staffing structures and planning for future operational needs

■ Resource planning – new build projects, equipment requirements, technology requirements, operations

■ Quarterly or bi-annual seminars for the Chefs’ Forum Academies to share best practice

■ Marketing strategy and communication for the hospitality and catering department and project management of new college restaurant launches or relaunches

■ Bespoke CPD sessions and short courses for college lecturers

■ Film making to promote the hospitality department within the college

■ Website design

■ Graphic design and copywriting

■ Social media training