CATERING STUDENTS REACH FINAL OF NATIONAL RESTAURANT COMPETITION

Professional cookery students from North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College (NWSLC) will join teams from colleges across the UK in the grand final of the UK Young Restaurant Team of the Year competition.

The team from NWSLC is due to compete at the event which is scheduled to take place at the Skills for Chefs conference in Sheffield on 28 June 2023. The theme for this year’s competition is based on a European dining experience. The overall winners will get the chance to enjoy study trip to Belgium. Representing the college in the semi-finals at the Gordon Ramsay Academy in March were Abbie Clarke (front of house) Sam Hurst and Harry Forbes (in the kitchen).

Vicky Enderson, Chair of Judges for the competition, said,

“We had a great semi-final, and the judges had a difficult decision to make.”

Jon Starns, Catering and Hospitality Lead for NWSLC who is mentoring the students to success in the competition, said, “I am delighted that the team has progressed to the final again this year. As a college we really enjoy this competition as is brings out the best in the students and is one of the top competitions available to them. We are really looking forward to showing what we can do in the final.

“The team has worked extremely hard to reach this stage, coming into college in their own time and practising for up to three days each week, and we are looking forward to testing our skills against some strong competitors in June.”

The finalists include teams from Eastleigh College, Sheffield College, Loughborough College, and Cheshire College South & West.

Marion Plant, OBE FCGI, Principal and Chief Executive of NWSLC said,

“This is a great achievement for our students, and we are very proud of them. They have demonstrated great tenacity in working so hard to reach their goals and they are now set to compete on a national stage and gain some experience that will help them as they start their careers in the catering and hospitality sector. I wish them all the best for the final in June.”