The Chefs’ Forum Roadshow Visits West London College

Over 200 secondary school students attended The Chefs Forum Roadshow at West London College today, 8 February 2023. This annual event, now in its second year, included hip-hop dance routines, a singer and rapper, chef masterclasses, a mocktail-making competition and plenty of audience participation. Many exceptional hospitality professionals gave interactive demonstrations to inspire and motivate the next generation of chefs coming through.

The event opened with Chef Jolly’s masterclass in using spices as he prepared and cooked okra chips coated in paprika, garlic, coriander, cumin and chat masala. 

West London College Hospitality and Catering students served delicacies to the school visitors throughout the three-hour event, ranging from miniature macaroons, sushi and pasta to tiny stuffed pooris.

Professional Cookery Level 1 student Nessi Languindaz said: “I was really pleased that the school students were so excited by the food we were serving them.”

Her classmate Hazelle Stringfellow said: “It felt great to be part of such a large and buzzing event.”

Georgie Flaherty, Leo Schoenholtz and Hoi Yiu Butt cooked the pasta and sushi for the showcase roadshow. Georgie said: “It was a fantastic experience to provide real service for a busy event.”

Salvotore Maggio, bar manager at the Rubens at the Palace, demonstrated mocktail making. He rolled the mocktail maker in an elaborate figure of eight and then poured its ingredients from the maker to the glass and back again with a gap of about three feet between both. Everyone gasped as the brightly coloured liquid  appeared to defy gravity

“This is how we get lots of oxygen into the mocktail and enhance the flavours,” he told the captivated audience. Schools competed to come up with the best mocktail. Barnhill won with their creation ‘The Barnhill Shake’, runners up were Magna Carta with ‘Raspberry Night’  and third place went to Forest Hill for their ‘Caribbean Paradise’.

The event closed as Keiko Urakawa gave a masterclass on making sushi from scratch.

Catherine Farinha from the Chefs’ Forum said: “We run this event to provide enrichment events for schools and young people where they can meet employers and find out about career opportunities in hospitality and catering.”

Denise Charles, Head of Service Industries at West London College said: “We are delighted to be members of the Chefs’ Forum as it enables our students to gain real-life work experience mentored and encouraged by the UK’s leading chefs.”

Schools that attended the event included Cumberland Community School, Nower Hill High School, Cambridge School, Belvue High School, Villiers High School, Barnhill School, All Saints Catholic School, The Magna Carta School, and Greenford High School.