<p><img alt="Prayag delivering guest lecture" data-align="right" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="757c4d50-3ac1-4f7d-af38-abcf873acebc" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Prayag%201.jpg" />Two guest chefs made an appearance this March to teach our Hospitality and Catering learners a range of exciting and innovative new cooking skills. Linking up with people from industry is an important factor in our Hospitality Career Excellence Hub.</p>

<p>First up was Prayag Rajpura, head chef of Lympsham Pavilion. Prayag’s lesson focussed on demonstrating the use of spices, seeds, and herbs to create high protein, intensely flavoured dishes. These meals were also either vegetarian or vegan, a key demographic in today’s hospitality industry, for example the chickpea curry which was served with chutneys and pickles.</p>

<p>From the business side of hospitality, Prayag also taught about sourcing ingredients, costing products and how to make smart business decisions as a chef to ensure good revenue and profits.</p>

<p>Prayag has helmed several restaurants in Weston, including vegan pop-up restaurants and local community café the Stable, which provided thousands of free school meals to households in Weston during the first Covid lockdown.</p>

<p>The second guest chef to make an appearance was Dave Newman, the Patron chef of the Ginger Pig Kitchen who made a sticky toffee pudding blended with ‘porkcorn.’ Dave was able to demonstrate cooking technology to the learners when using his Thermomix to make the pudding element of the dish.</p>

<p>This recipe used gluten free flours since Dave has his kitchen aim to produce foods for all dietary requirements, highlighting that more customers can be reached, and a restaurant can gain higher customer satisfaction by replacing allergens.</p>

<p>Dave garnished the pudding with a popped pork fat known as pork corn to add flavour. Speaking about pairing flavours, he went on to add a rich butter scotch sauce and salted caramel ice cream to add a modern twist.</p>

<p>Dave has broad experience producing a uniformed product which can cater to most diets, having previously led his own course of a Brit awards banquet!</p>

<p>A big thanks to both of these chefs for coming and speaking to our learners, the skills they gain from this will be excellent.</p>

<p>If you want to find out more about our Hospitality and Catering courses, click here: <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/hospi… and Catering | Weston College</a></p>

<p>Weston College’s Hospitality and Catering <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/career-excellence-hubs?utm_source=homepage-hea… Excellence Hub</a>, has been awarded national success, named as Outstanding Industry Partnerships award winners at The Professional Association of Catering Education (PACE) awards.</p>

<p>PACE is the representative body for hospitality and catering education with a regional and national network of members, and these awards are a celebration of the work that happens on a daily basis in education to develop the future workforce of the hospitality industry.</p>

<p>Weston College was commended for its work during the pandemic, and the opportunities that were created for learners through working with employers, despite difficult circumstances.</p>

<p>Sandra Bull, Dean of Faculty for Hospitality, said: “We are so pleased to have won this award, as it reflects the hard work and dedication of not only our staff, but also our students, who continue to impress us and raise the profile of the work we do.</p>

<p>“Our team doesn’t stand still, and we are always looking to create opportunities that will benefit our learners, and that is demonstrated in this award.</p>

<p>“One of the aspects that we were commended for, was our links with employers, and how we deliver regular masterclasses which offers our learners a unique and exciting way to develop their skills – experiencing a range of techniques. We must thank our endorsing employers who work so closely with our curriculum it allows our learners to learn from their journeys, expertise and experience. But also the importance of experience, whether that be through placements or working live events, which is a key part of our delivery at Weston College.”</p>

<p>A huge well done to the Hospitality and Catering team. If you would like to study one of our hospitality courses, you can find out more information, <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/hospi…;

<p lang="EN-GB" paraeid="{683a36da-fbd9-4949-b5a8-c304aa257765}{88}" paraid="685575166" xml:lang="EN-GB">Students from the <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/hospi…; rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Level 2 Professional Chef T Level Transition Programme</a> had the amazing opportunity of hosting a guest lecture from Chefs in The Army! &nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-GB" paraeid="{d9afcc5c-ed41-4171-8a29-211fc3b03e77}{170}" paraid="964837088" xml:lang="EN-GB">During the lecture students were shown what it is like to be a Chef within The Army and how they can get involved.&nbsp;After being split into teams, learners were then poised with the challenge of making a 3-course meal for 2 people out of ration packs! They were given 10 minutes to menu plan and a further 1 hour 30 minutes to prepare and cook.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-GB" paraeid="{18c6f1e0-c5c8-4d65-914c-9bb99c834f99}{180}" paraid="457058746" xml:lang="EN-GB">The learners produced innovative and amazing meals such as broccoli and onion soup, mince beef and onion pie with mash potato, cookie bread and butter pudding and homemade garlic gnocchi!&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-GB" paraeid="{0d1f46e9-9581-4abe-b765-2aa2d79def4a}{88}" paraid="850378722" xml:lang="EN-GB">Teams were then judged by the Seargent's and were scored on Best Starter, Best Main Meal, Best Dessert, and an Overall Winner. &nbsp;</p>

<p paraeid="{cbe6a9d7-dca1-473d-bafc-7ef73fbaa81e}{89}" paraid="1119410355">Team 3 won Best Starter with their broccoli mac and cheese with garlic bread, Team 2 won Best Main Course with the homemade pasta and meatballs and Team 1 won Best Dessert with their cookie bread and butter pudding. But the overall winner of the challenge for their performance, communication skills, teamwork and presentation were Team 2!&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-GB" paraeid="{cbe6a9d7-dca1-473d-bafc-7ef73fbaa81e}{81}" paraid="1135104852" xml:lang="EN-GB">Learner Crystal, comments “It was really fun, but at the same time hard because you only had 1 hour and 30 mins for a three-course meal! I found it very challenging, but I really enjoyed the whole event!”&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-GB" paraeid="{647c0d12-7f4a-41d6-9b95-0b6940cbb357}{199}" paraid="287158346" xml:lang="EN-GB">Hospitality and Catering lecturer Debbie says, &nbsp;“I am so proud of the group here today they did extremely well and were amazing. They did the me and the college proud today even the Army Sergeants said we should be proud of all the students today."&nbsp;</p>

<p paraeid="{0564b604-642a-4b9f-a761-bb658276b83c}{207}" paraid="509478004">As a part of the Hospitality and Catering <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/career-excellence-hubs&quot; rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Career Excellence Hub,</a> learners are given the opportunity to gain employability skills from employers and gain real life skills that they can take on into their careers. Within the new T Level course, students can learn about the catering and hospitality industry, food, and safety hygiene in the kitchen, menu planning and costing and preparing all different foods. Alongside the course students will gain a full understanding of the industry by completing a Level 2 food and beverage service during their Individual Development (ID) time.&nbsp;</p>

<p paraeid="{0564b604-642a-4b9f-a761-bb658276b83c}{210}" paraid="1048890358">Sandra Bull, Divisional Lead of Hospitality and Catering, says “Ensuring our learners have an opportunity to seek out a variety of career pathways is important as they developed both skills and confidence in their programme of study. This session was a challenge which demonstrated how they would need to adapt quickly for a career in the Army but resilience in a working environment. The group have discovered you can eat well even out of ration pack ingredients!”&nbsp;</p>

<p paraeid="{be9c8cb5-4bb3-4b1f-9899-72496bb9585f}{89}" paraid="165690936">&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
<li paraeid="{be9c8cb5-4bb3-4b1f-9899-72496bb9585f}{93}" paraid="1488067747"><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/hospi… ">Find out more and apply </a><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/hospi… ">now for the Chef T Level Transition&nbsp;Programme</a>.</li>
<li paraeid="{be9c8cb5-4bb3-4b1f-9899-72496bb9585f}{93}" paraid="1488067747"><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2022-01/84501_Weston%20Col… out the Hospitality and Catering Career Excellence Hub</a>.</li>
<li paraeid="{be9c8cb5-4bb3-4b1f-9899-72496bb9585f}{93}" paraid="1488067747"><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/hospi… out more about other Hospitality and Catering Courses.</a></li>
<li paraeid="{be9c8cb5-4bb3-4b1f-9899-72496bb9585f}{93}" paraid="1488067747"><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/t-lev… T Levels</a>.</li>
</ul>