Top chef returns to college where he learned basics of the craft
A LEADING chef who joined students for an event at the Loughborough College Radmoor Restaurant has shared his gratitude and his praise for the College.
For Jon Fell it was familiar territory when he shared a kitchen with hospitality and catering learners at the award-winning restaurant to prepare a five-course menu for a sell-out guest chef evening, which also featured Mark Fletcher.
Jon graduated from Loughborough Catering College in 1990 and now appears on Nigel Barden’s Drive Time Dishes on Amazon Prime and as a seafood chef on Simply Good Food TV. Alongside this, he is dedicated to teaching and mentoring young chefs, including as a seafood masterclass chef at Peter Sidewell Keswick Cookery School and with the catering school at neighbouring Lakes College.
Following the evening, Jon took to social media to share his gratitude for the college’s support as he started out in the industry and his praise for its current students and staff.
He said: “At 16 years old... I enrolled on a catering course at Loughborough College, I had digs which I paid for, I lived in Loughborough for the week and went home Friday evening returning on Sunday night.
“I had two jobs whilst at college, and a weekend job back at home... I loved the life, a fantastic experience, no one made me, I wanted it. I have a huge amount to thank Loughborough College for, they gave me the basics I needed to go on in my colourful chef career.”
He added: “So forward 30 odd years later, I’ve been reasonably successful, no one made me, I wanted it. I was lucky recently to be invited back to Loughborough College, to cook with the students, a Guest chef evening.
“Several things stood out for me, the relationship between lecturers and student, fun and enjoyable, but when asked to do, the students did, no dummy spitting, no back chat...
“Another thing was the willingness to learn, each one of them asking questions, why? How? Can you? Could you?”