Seasoned to train Barking & Dagenham student chefs

09 November 2015 by Janie Manzoori-Stamford

Event caterer Seasoned, part of the Crown Partnership, will deliver hospitality and catering training to students at Barking & Dagenham Technical Skills Academy, it has announced.

Students on the City & Guilds level 2 professional catering course will receive one-on-one training from head chef Chris Hawkins at the Seasoned central production unit in Essex.

Each junior chef will need to complete 30 hours of work experience in order to pass their course as set out by the government. Training began last week and will run until graduation next year. Study topics will include allergens, health and safety processes and special cooking techniques and the students will also have the chance to create canapés, starters, main courses and desserts.

Lynden Davies, professional catering lecturer and assessor at the college, said: "There is nothing better than real life on-the-job work experience to help the students develop their employability skills.

"This partnership with Seasoned is a valuable complement to the work experience our students already receive in the College's commercial and training restaurants. With Seasoned they will see catering and hospitality on an industrial scale. It will be great for their CVs and will help them break into the industry when they graduate."

Colin Sayers, Seasoned's managing partner, added: "Given the shortage of skilled workers coming into the catering industry, we are offering this opportunity for students to gain first-hand experience in the workplace and also develop specialist skills in desired areas that will benefit the industry in the long term."