[A] group of young people seeking to build careers in the hospitality sector have been given the chance to experience a behind the scenes tour of the culinary operations of three renowned Lake District hotels.
As part of English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues new ‘Culinary Academy’ training initiative, five school leavers and college students were invited to visit Low Wood Bay and Waterhead hotels on the shores of Windermere, as well as The Wild Boar Inn in the nearby Gilpin Valley.
In partnership with multi-award winning local chef Steven Doherty, the academy scheme is a two year apprenticeship which trains participants to become commis chefs whilst under the employment of the hotel group.
The students, who are aspiring to become chefs by joining the first intake for the academy in September, were able to see at first-hand how each venue operates and to meet the group’s head chefs and staff as part of the guided tour with Mr Docherty.
Commenting on the tour, one of the group, 18-year-old Jamie Hardy, who has just started working at The Midland Hotel as a general assistant having completed his studies at Lancaster & Morecambe College, said: “It was good. I had a great time and it really fired me up!”
The tour was an opportunity for the group to get a feel for how a hotel kitchen works, see how each different venue operates and pose questions to the chefs and culinary staff about the skills required to succeed.
Steven Doherty added: “With the first group of students for the English Lakes Culinary Academy due to commence training later this year, we are undertaking a range of activities to give potential recruits valuable taster sessions like these where they can actually see how kitchen teams work together on a daily basis.”
The Culinary Academy is fully accredited to deliver the commis chef apprenticeship standard approved by the Government. The initiative involves working under the watchful eye of the hotel group’s own head chefs at award-winning venues across the Lake District and North Lancashire, with one day per week dedicated to offsite training with Mr Docherty.
Later this year, the hotel group will fully open the Lake District’s first luxury resort following the £16 million redevelopment of Low Wood Bay.
For further information about English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues and its ‘Culinary Academy’, email Val Still at [email protected] or visit englishlakes.co.uk
