Hotel kitchen student takeover
Student chefs from Sunderland College crossed utensils in a Hell’s Kitchenstyle charity culinary challenge.
Washington’s Holiday Inn was taken over by six catering students who showed off their cooking prowess and created their own three-course menu for diners on Sunday.
The budding chefs were split into two groups and, with the help of the hotel’s head chef Mariusz Urbanczyk, battled it out to see who would be crowned takeover champions.
Customers could choose from a broad range of delectable dishes and the most popular item selected by diners decided the winning menu.
Although the competition was very close, the team named overall winner was made up of Eleanor Wilson, Morgan Brickle and Connor Mills.
Thanks to the efforts of the six students, more than £160 was raised for the Holiday Inn’s chosen charities, Grace House and Greenfingers.
Rob Stewart, Sunderland College’s curriculum leader for hospitality, tourism and engagement, said: “We were really pleased to help support local charities and give the learners an opportunity to see inside a different type of kitchen to any they’d seen or worked in before.
“They all put in a lot of effort to prepare for the event and so hearing such positive feedback from the diners made it all worthwhile.”
Paul Mandeir, the Holiday Inn Washington’s general manager, said: “I am delighted with the way the day went for the students. It is clear from the delivery of service that the students will excel in the hospitality trade. All of the guests who attended enjoyed the food and left delighted with the event.”
The takeover was arranged with the help of Reed NCFE, which joined forces with Sunderland College in 2014 to create a job zone offering high quality work experience opportunities and careers guidance.
Katrina Blyth, employment broker for Reed NCFE, said: “As part of this placement, the students have had the chance to create their own menus, cost their menu, prepare and ultimately take over the professional kitchen at the Holiday Inn, cooking for a restaurant of people.
“This has proved to be a real eye-opener for the students in terms of the hard work that goes in to running a real-life, working kitchen and they have all done a wonderful job.”
The work experience will also help them when looking for jobs after they leave college.
“I am delighted with the way the day went” PAUL MANDEIR