The Sheffield College staff shortlisted in catering industry ‘Oscars’ awards

Sheffield College staff are finalists in the catering and hospitality sector’s equivalent of the Oscars.

The Craft Guild of Chefs Awards recognise exceptional industry talent from apprentice and young chefs just starting out to seasoned experts established in their careers in hospitality, pubs and restaurants.

This year, there are 17 awards categories and the College is a finalist in two.

The Silver Plate Restaurant, which provides high quality cuisine to the public, has been shortlisted in the inaugural Accredited College Restaurant of the Year Award.

Based at City Campus, the College-run restaurant offers fine dining lunches as well as gourmet tasting and guest chef evenings. The events often involve award-winning chefs who originally trained at the College.

Students learn the high professional standards expected by the industry under the supervision of experienced staff.

College lecturer Len Unwin, Curriculum Team Leader, Catering and Hospitality, has also been shortlisted in the Chef Lecturer Award category.

Len said: “It’s an honour to be shortlisted in these prestigious national industry awards. It’s also fantastic to see our highly popular Silver Plate Restaurant being recognised in the first Accredited College Restaurant of the Year Award.”

Len has also received the Silver Award for service to the Craft Guild of Chefs, which was announced at the organisation’s annual general meeting held at the Waldorf Hilton in London on April 23rd, 2023.

The winners of the Craft Guild of Chefs Awards will be announced at an awards dinner on June 1st, 2023, at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge in London.

The Sheffield College offers a range of bakery, catering and hospitality, and patisserie courses, and the staff team regularly wins national industry awards.

Recent successes include winning a Professional Association for Catering Education (PACE) Award 2023, and Zest Quest Asia 2022, as well as the UK Young Restaurant Team of the Year Awards 2022.

The College has strong links with a range of top industry chefs including Dan Ashmore, Group Executive Chef of the Dean Banks Restaurants, Ross Sneddon, Executive Pastry Chef at The Balmoral and Ian Musgrave, Sous Chef at The Ritz.

Angela Foulkes, Chief Executive and Principal, The Sheffield College, said:

“Congratulations to our fantastic catering and hospitality team whose cutting edge skills and industry knowledge support our students to go further in their careers.”

Visit www.sheffcol.ac.uk.