News / School of Food
Bristol chefs look to inspire future generations
Two Bristol chefs have joined forces with a college, school and Ashton Gate Stadium to launch a new vocational programme for chefs.
The School of Food hopes to address the ever growing issue of attracting recruitment into the hospitality industry.
It is open to young people looking to take their first step into the industry, as well as those already working within restaurants, hotels and food businesses.
Designed to address the lack of new talent leaving schools and looking to enter the hospitality industry, the idea behind The School of Food is to create apprenticeships with direct access to the hospitality industry, and where students can get hands-on experience from chefs, producers and artisans.
Students will also have the chance to use the facilities at The Grove Restaurant at Weston College, The Leaf at Ham Green run by St Katherine’s School and Ashton Gate Stadium.
The School of Food co-founder Josh Eggleton, chef-patron at the Michelin-starred Pony & Trap in Chew Magna, said: “The chef shortage is by no means a new thing, it’s been bubbling away for years. For so long people have been talking about why it’s happening, but hardly anyone has looked at how we can fix this.
“The School of Food is kind of the antithesis to that; it’s all about bringing through the future of the industry. This apprenticeship will give participants more time in professional kitchens, designed to inspire chefs and show them just what they can achieve and really set them up for success in what is an incredibly rewarding and creative industry.”
Fellow co-founder Adrian Kirikmaa, head chef at St Monica Trust, said: “We’ve been working closely with chefs, producers and educators to design a curriculum we feel will really benefit young chefs and give them all the tools they need to succeed.”
Ashton Gate Stadium managing director Mark Kelly added: “Since opening the redeveloped stadium, I have been in discussion with both Josh and our executive head chef George Opondo on how we can help bridge the gap in chef development and recruitment in Bristol.
“Ashton Gate is delighted to be able to host the young chefs of the future and look forward to working closely with them as they develop their careers in the hospitality industry.”
For more information about The School of Food, visit www.school-of-food.co.uk
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