Better Business / Member news
Mentoring the next generation of chefs
Square Food Foundation launched its first mentoring programme in August 2024. It’s an extension of the How To Be A Chef (HTBAC) course, that matches students with mentors.
Research highlights the valuable impact mentors can have, particularly for young people in transitions. Which is exactly the case for our HTBAC students; 16-25 years old, not in education, full-time employment or training.
During our 12-week course, students learn valuable cooking skills and are encouraged to develop their confidence in and out of the kitchen. The course focuses on employability, giving students the opportunity to consider their next steps in a safe and supportive environment.
This is where mentors play a valuable role by supporting the students at the end of the course. Through regular meetings, mentors provide a sounding board and guidance for students’ goals, ambitions, and confidence.
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Read our interview with Max Kohn, mentor and co-founder of The Jolly Hog, and Rhys Parr, mentee and How To Be A Chef graduate, to discover more about the mentee-mentor relationship.
Rhys, 17, finished his GCSEs in June 2024 and accepted his place on How To Be A Chef in September. He cooked most days at home for himself and his mum but wanted to learn more. His highlights included the creative cookery and the opportunity to see how things actually work behind the scenes.
He was apprehensive about the prospect of having a mentor, but could see that it was a good opportunity. Now he is three months into his partnership with Max, he can really see the benefit.
He said: “It’s really good. Max is a great person for planning and encouraging actions. He’s good at structure which is sometimes what I need. He’s a confident person, he can create a plan and have an end goal.”
The pair meet once a month to review Rhys’s goals. They develop actions so Rhys is confident in what to focus on.
Rhys explains why it’s great to have Max as a mentor: “The best thing is having an outside opinion. If I ask my mum, I know she’s going to want me to get any job or go to college. Max encourages me to think outside the box and consider different options.
“There are certain things you need an outside perspective for. Max has different experience and it’s really helpful to get his perspective.”
Max Kohn, founder of Jolly Hog, is enjoying the process of being a mentor – photo: Jolly Hog
Rhys volunteers at Cafe Lido and works ad-hoc shifts for The Jolly Hog events team. By developing his experience, he’s working towards securing the right job.
Max is passionate about helping others. When the opportunity to become a mentor came up, he was quick to apply.
He explained: “It’s healthy to share knowledge and experience. I really see the benefit in people who’ve been there sharing what they’ve learnt. As a business, we’ve always had good mentors.
I’ve found mentors really useful for thinking further ahead. These are opportunities that I’ve really valued, so I’m more than happy to do it for someone else.”
Max is enjoying the process of being a mentor. He said: “It’s great. Rhys is young, he’s got the world at his feet. He needs a little guidance and nudging along—and I’m good at nudging along.
“Rhys is engaged, listens and wants to get more out of life. I hope I’m giving him more confidence to do things he might not do otherwise.”
Max believes that mentoring is an opportunity for both parties to get out of their comfort zone and listen to a different voice. He said: “It’s really nice to build a relationship with someone who is totally different, and that works for both sides. He is a different generation to me. Thinks differently, acts differently. It’s enlightening for me.”
During our 12-week course, students learn valuable cooking skills and are encouraged to develop their confidence in and out of the kitchen – photo: Square Food Foundation
If you’re inspired by Rhys and Max’s story and would like to become a mentor, Square Food are currently taking applications to mentor the next cohort of How To Be A Chef students, visit www.squarefoodfoundation.co.uk/becomeamentor or email jenny@squarefoodfoundation.co.uk
Main photo: Square Food Foundation
Square Food Foundation are member of the Bristol24/7 Better Business network, an initiative to help businesses thrive while creating a positive impact on Bristol and the people who live here. As part of their membership, businesses can publish member news stories like this. For more information, visit my.bristol247.com/better-business
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