My name is Dave Newman, and I am the owner and Chef Patron at The Ginger Pig Kitchen, here in Weston-super-Mare. The Ginger Pig Kitchen is a local restaurant, focusing on fresh food, served in a relaxed atmosphere with great service.

I hugely enjoy working with the college; watching the students develop and grow under our guidance is amazing – being able to reflect on their abilities when they first began, compared to the skills they have now, is so fulfilling as an employer. As well as skills development, their confidence grows massively too, allowing them to interact better with each other and the customers. The skills and the confidence growing in unison while working results in working towards a successful career in hospitality!

I work with the college in many ways, including delivering masterclasses, which take place throughout the year to showcase my skills to learners and teach them how to progress. I also detail what we do in my restaurant, the process of keeping the customers happy and why we do it in the way that we do.

The impact of the involvement with the learners on the organisation has been huge. They play an important part of the team, and massively contribute to the smooth running of the restaurant.

I truly believe giving learners a good chance at progression, showing them how to be a role model, and developing their workplace skills, will help them on the way to their next opportunity in hospitality.