<p>To celebrate Hospitality Apprenticeships Week, we caught up with Dan Flannagan from the Liberation Group (one of our brand new Hospitality Career Excellence Hub endorsers), to get his thoughts on the sector, and how Weston College is supporting them.</p>

<p><strong>Who are the Liberation Group (Butcombe)?</strong></p>

<p><em>Butcombe are an award-winning range of pubs, bars and hotels with our own brewery that creates a fantastic range of stunning ales, lagers and IPA’s.  Our pubs are food led, having won the prestigious Best Food Offering Award at the National Publican Awards 2 years running.  We have an emphasis on local produce and everything we make is made from scratch, with no corners cut!</em></p>

<p><strong>What challenges have you been facing over the last 18 months?</strong></p>

<p><em>Like any Hospitality business, we have had a tough time with the closures of our pubs.  Everything we do is geared towards providing a great customer experience and we have really missed seeing our customers happy.  We have had some challenges around recruitment but are starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel and believe that relationships with organisations such as Weston College will provide us with access to the next wave of talent in the industry.</em></p>

<p><strong>Have you faced a skills shortage?</strong></p>

<p><em>Our Back of House teams (kitchens) have faced the largest challenge in terms of recruitment.</em></p>

<p><strong>How have you managed to combat these challenges?</strong></p>

<p><em>We have created and rolled out a range of innovative solutions to help us address the recruitment challenge and believe that our best solution will always be to work with local colleges, charities and organisations that can help us identify, recruit and train the future stars of the business.</em></p>

<p><strong>Why did you choose to work with Weston College?</strong></p>

<p><em>We are proud of our Somerset roots and having grown our business in this area, a relationship with Weston College seemed a natural step.  Weston has a superb set up and we firmly believe that our future partnership will provide a huge benefit to both parties.</em></p>

<p><strong>If you were starting in the sector now, what advice would they give to that young person?</strong></p>

<p><em>I started myself in the hospitality when I was 16 years old in a hotel in Bristol and would say to anyone looking for a career in the industry, enjoy it!  Try and absorb everything you learn from your college, work placements and if you work in the industry, listen and learn from Head Chefs, General Managers etc.  It is easy in this industry to learn as people genuinely want to share their knowledge and help you develop.</em></p>

<p>If you'd like to enter the hospitality industry, you can study a course with us. Click on the link relevant link, below.</p>

<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/hospi… courses</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/apprenticeships?utm_source=ma…;
<li><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-adults?utm_source=mai… courses</a></li>
<li>Find out about <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/career-excellence-hubs">Career Excellence Hubs</a></li>
</ul>

<p>As a Chef Apprentice you have access to an exciting masterclass programme, giving you the essential chef skills. Masterclasses are delivered monthly by industry professionals including producers and artisans including expert guest bakers, butchers and fishmongers.</p>

<p>Today's Chef apprentice masterclass is led by Christopher Hayes from the Stable, who are one of our <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/career-excellence-hubs">Career Excellence Hub</a> endorsers, and will guide the apprentices through cooking pan-fried steak in garlic and tyme with a béarnaise sauce, triple cooked chips and tenderstem broccoli in a chilli and roasted garlic butter.</p>

<p>Chris has been a chef and worked in hospitality for twenty years. He told us:</p>

<p>"I didn’t grow up wanting to be a chef, I knew how to cook a little as I grew up in a big family and we sat down together for dinner every night and all chipped in. I grew up wanting to be an artist and to do something creative. After leaving school I was offered a few apprenticeships but decided to take a year out and live in and work at a country hotel. They wanted to put me through my GNVQ, which I accepted, because I’d become attracted to lifestyle.</p>

<p>“After qualifying, I got a paid position as a Commis Chef in a renowned hotel, this is where my passion was lit, this is where I looked at chefs with respect and realised the talent and determination you need to be successful.</p>

<p>“It truly blew my mind, when on my first day a chef asked me to “knock some pasta up” which I thought was a first day prank - you buy pasta it’s dry, why do you need a machine to shape it? From that day I’ve never looked back. Every day there was something new to learn, thirty chefs all cool and calm doing things with food that I couldn’t even comprehend as possible!</p>

<p>“My creative itch was being scratched, I was earning some money and my eyes had been opened by some amazing people at what is possible and achievable in this industry.</p>

<p>“From those years of hard work, dedication and commitment, doors began to open and I have been fortunate enough to cook at so many places for so many different people.</p>

<p>“I got to find my own style and develop my own ideas on what hospitality and food should be. I’ve changed my own mind on who chefs really are and what is possible.</p>

<p>“I’ve developed interpersonal skills, ethics, manners and friendships all working in a kitchen. I’ve shared my knowledge and skills with others, worked as a team, put others before myself, accepted other personalities, received the best training. I’m still learning today and still excited by what is possible.”</p>

<p>Find out more about being a Chef Apprentice:</p>

<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/hospi… and Apprenticeships</a> for school leavers</li>
<li>Next <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/news-and-events/events">open event</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/event/hospitality-apprenticeships-week">Hospit… apprenticeships week</a>&nbsp;#MoreThanAJob</li>
</ul>

<p>Weston College's hospitality and catering students recently had the opportunity to serve front of house and make a variety of impressive canapés with Istvan Ulmann, Head Chef at Hattusa Restaurant at Berwick Lodge.</p>

<p>Istvan performed a cookery demonstration of Venison loin with shallots, salsify and red cabbage before working with our students to produce an impressive spread of canapés including: Medjool dates wrapped in pancetta, Sausage rolls with raz el hanout, Pancetta and emmental toasties, and Filo tart with pear, stilton and pine nuts.</p>

<p>The students also baked brioche buns to cater for a BBQ event later in the day, and worked to produce a delicious afternoon tea with passion fruit marshmallows, chocolate brownies, and baked vanilla cheesecake.</p>

<p>Louise Underhay, who studies Professional Cookery at Level 2, said: “We do these trips a lot to get some work experience and learn from the professionals, and I really enjoy them.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“I really love baking and am really enjoying my course – It has given me a new lease of life, it has given me an edge! Istvan was great and gave us lots of little tips and pep talks to increase our confidence. I found it really helpful and loved it.”</p>

<p>This opportunity was part of a chefs' forum partnership aimed at introducing Weston College students to top chefs.</p>