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Debbie’s staff spotlight
Debbie’s passing her experience to the next generation of chefs
Debbie Corrick’s journey in the catering industry began as a student at Weston College. Now, the experienced chef has returned to the College to teach the next generation of catering professionals.
I decided on a career in the catering industry because I had a passion for food and producing dishes which people enjoy and love.
I started by studying the BTEC National Diploma in Hospitality Supervision and NVQ Level 1 and 2 in Professional Cookery at Weston College, where I also won some hospitality competitions. These courses gave the skills and knowledge I needed to enter the industry and, after starting work in a hotel, I progressed to the Level 3 Professional Cookery qualification.
As a sous chef in a variety of hotels, I produced food of ‘Rosette’ (an accreditation for culinary excellence) standard and worked with several high-quality chefs. This enabled me to gain the experience that I now pass to learners.
I then returned to the College to work as an assessor for learners following work-based qualifications and am now a lecturer, delivering a range of chef-related courses from entry Level to Level 3. I’ve also completed several teaching-related qualifications, including a degree.
Teaching is an extremely rewarding profession. It’s great to see learners completing their courses and progressing to careers in the industry, knowing that I’ve helped provide the skills and experience they need.
If you have a passion for food, the catering and hospitality industry is definitely for you. It’s hard work – and you need to build up confidence – but the feeling of producing something out of the ordinary for people to enjoy is amazing.
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