Students Showcase Their Skills at The Chefs’ Forum

7 Feb 2018

The Hospitality and Catering team at West London College participated in the prestigious meetup event The Chefs’ Forum to showcase the world’s gastronomy. The event, which took place on Monday 29 January 2018 in the newly opened Eight Over Eight restaurant in Chelsea, saw students join forces with trainees from HIT Training to make delicious canapes and participate in a sushi masterclass.

Students cooking for the Chef's Forum — Students cooking for the Chef’s Forum

Executive Chef Aaj Fernando, one of two chefs leading the masterclass, commented: “I have been very impressed with the students from West London College and HIT Training. Based on their performance, I would be delighted to invite them for work experience and trial shifts across the four sites of the Ricker Restaurants Group.”

The Chefs’ Forum, which launched in London in 2014, was established to bridge the gap between education and industry, offering students the opportunity to meet employers. The initiative gives the students the chance to showcase their skills and secure work experience and training with top businesses.

Chefs from many London-based restaurants attended the event, including guests from Sketch Restaurant and Hakkasan. The event was also attended by suppliers from the industry, including Santa Maria herbs and spices company and Clifton Coffee, giving the chefs and students an opportunity to network and experiment with new flavours.

The sushi-rolling competition was won by Level 2 Professional Cookery student Gewyn Pelegrino, who will now have a chance to spend a day shadowing Aaj Fernando and Jose Caetano in the kitchen.

Gewyn said: “I was thrilled to win the competition. I have never really eaten sushi before but today has completely changed my mind about it. I really like making and eating sushi and am very much looking forward to coming back here for my work experience with Aaj.”

All West London College Hospitality and Catering students participate in The Chefs’ Forum events throughout the year, learning new skills and making new and valuable contacts with industry professionals.