<p>Weston College was excited to welcome back professional chef <strong>Andy Chan</strong> for a special evening takeover where he led a hands-on masterclass with our <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/hospi… and Catering </a>students.</p><p>Andy, who appeared on <strong>MasterChef</strong>, is now a Development Chef at <strong>Compass Foodbuy Culinary Solutions</strong> and was previously Head Chef at <strong>Thornbury Castle</strong>. With years of industry experience, he gave students a valuable opportunity to learn directly from a top-level chef in a real restaurant setting.</p><p>Students helped prepare and serve a seasonal fine dining menu that included dishes such as Butternut Squash Hummus with Roasted Balsamic Shallots, and a choice of Grilled Mackerel Fillet or King Oyster Mushroom Scallops for starters.</p><drupal-entity alt="&quot;Butternut squash hummus with roasted balsamic shallots nicely presented on a plate&quot;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4ac19527-cfa5-4aca-bda9-1b1b6a2eb78d" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{&quot;image_style&quot;:&quot;max_500x500&quot;,&quot;image_link&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;image_loading&quot;:{&quot;attribute&quot;:&quot;lazy&quot;}}">&nbsp;</drupal-entity><p>&nbsp;</p><p>For the main course, guests could enjoy either Pan Roasted Duck Breast with Pomme Dauphine or a vegan-friendly Marinated Cauliflower dish with cumin spiced vegetables and vegan cheese. The evening ended with a Dark Chocolate Fondant served with Raspberry Sorbet and Chocolate Crumb.</p><drupal-entity alt="&quot;Cauliflower dish presented nicely&quot;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6ada9885-bbac-4d5c-aae4-b0655ea6c1c8" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{&quot;image_style&quot;:&quot;max_500x500&quot;,&quot;image_link&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;image_loading&quot;:{&quot;attribute&quot;:&quot;lazy&quot;}}">&nbsp;</drupal-entity><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Our students have been lucky enough to receive multiple masterclasses from Andy, allowing him to see the progression of skills and technique throughout the year. Andy said:</p><p><em>“I was looking forward to cooking with Pete and the students, it’s brilliant to see what they have achieved so far and challenge them on some current techniques that are used in the industry today.</em></p><p><em>The menu was designed to show the students what they can do with certain ingredients and how to get as much out of the ingredients, whilst still looking at the seasonality and availability of local produce.”</em></p><p>The event was a great experience for everyone involved and highlighted Weston College’s ongoing commitment to giving students the chance to learn from industry professionals and prepare for successful careers in hospitality.&nbsp;</p><p><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/hospi… you are interested in applying to one of our Hospitality and Catering courses, click here.</a></p><p><strong>If you are passionate about education and are looking for an opportunity to join the staff team at a leading college, then look at the latest job vacancies available at Weston College </strong><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/jobs?utm_source=main-menu&amp;utm_medium=main-…;. You can find all the latest job opportunities that Weston College has to offer, with a commitment to providing quality education for learners and a focus on continuous professional development for staff, Weston College is an excellent place to work and grow in your career.</strong></p>

<p>Today, <a href="https://www.somerset-chamber.co.uk/">Somerset Chamber of Commerce</a> hosted a <strong>Business Brunch</strong> at The Grove, located at our Knightstone Campus. The event provided a valuable opportunity for businesses from across Somerset to come together, connect, and network. The brunch included a compelling fireside chat between<strong> Pat Jones,</strong> Principal and CEO of Weston College Group, and <strong>David Crew,</strong> Managing Director of <a href="https://www.somerset-chamber.co.uk/">Somerset Chamber of Commerce</a>. Together, they explored Pat’s<strong> career journey, leadership approaches, </strong>and her <strong>vision for the future of Weston College</strong>. Following the conversation, attendees were invited to engage directly by asking Pat questions, which led to insightful discussions.</p><p>Pat highlighted the important role that businesses play in shaping the futures of students and young people through opportunities such as T Level placements, apprenticeships, degree apprenticeships, and supported internships. Drawing on her own journey – as she began her own career through an apprenticeship - Pat shared how transformative such opportunities can be, offering life-changing personal and professional growth for both young people and adults.</p><p>The brunch itself was well prepared and served by our wonderful <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/hospi… 1 Hospitality and Catering</a> learners, earning praise from many attendees. Thank you to all of the learners who contributed - your hard work and professionalism helped make the Brunch a thoroughly enjoyable experience for everyone!</p><p>&nbsp;</p><drupal-entity data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8220de09-bcd5-42c2-8f9b-fb99e318406b" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{&quot;image_style&quot;:&quot;max_500x500&quot;,&quot;image_link&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;image_loading&quot;:{&quot;attribute&quot;:&quot;lazy&quot;}}">&nbsp;</drupal-entity><p>&nbsp;</p><drupal-entity data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7f35dd90-76c3-4cdb-8dd0-5fe0433b8d44" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{&quot;image_style&quot;:&quot;max_500x500&quot;,&quot;image_link&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;image_loading&quot;:{&quot;attribute&quot;:&quot;lazy&quot;}}">&nbsp;</drupal-entity><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Two of our ESOL learners, Romina and Glenn, have been taking part in a weekly <strong>Hospitality Course</strong> at<strong> </strong><a href="https://www.lovesweston.co.uk/"><strong>Loves Cafe</strong></a>. This fantastic initiative, a collaboration between the community and North Somerset Council, aims to support refugees and asylum seekers by equipping them with <strong>essential skills </strong>to help them <strong>gain employment</strong> in the <strong>hospitality sector</strong>.</p><p>Throughout the course, our learners have been developing their <strong>customer service expertise</strong>, learning <strong>key terminology</strong> relevant to hospitality roles, practicing how to <strong>take orders efficiently,</strong> and getting hands-on experience using <strong>card machines.</strong> To build their confidence and practical skills, they have engaged in <strong>role-play exercises</strong>, taking turns as customers and waiters/waitresses to simulate real-life working environments.</p><drupal-entity alt="ESOL learners using card machine" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d6b2f92b-82a6-4829-b0a8-5269c3462258" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{&quot;image_style&quot;:&quot;max_500x500&quot;,&quot;image_link&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;image_loading&quot;:{&quot;attribute&quot;:&quot;lazy&quot;}}">&nbsp;</drupal-entity><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Beyond customer service, the learners have also gained valuable knowledge in <strong>food hygiene, food allergies, reading menus,</strong> and <strong>processing orders</strong>. In the coming weeks, they will have the exciting opportunity to enhance their skill set further with <strong>barista training</strong>, delivered by<strong> </strong><a href="https://radicalroasters.bigcartel.com/?srsltid=AfmBOooh-KpucGabfU4bt2vP… Roosters Bristol Coffee Roasters</strong></a><strong>.</strong></p><p>One of our learners, Glenn, joined the course with the ambition of securing his first role in hospitality. Through his hard work and dedication, he has grown significantly in confidence, and he is now planning to apply for a Hospitality course at Weston College to further develop his skills and take the next step in his career.</p><p>Meanwhile, Romina has demonstrated incredible personal growth throughout the course. Her commitment and passion for both learning and contributing to the community were recently recognised when she won the <strong>‘Above and Beyond’</strong> award at our Student Conference!</p><p>We are excited to see our learners continue to integrate and develop their skills throughout the rest of this course!</p><p><strong>(below is an example of a worksheet which helped the learners with learning key phrases in hospitality!)</strong></p><p>&nbsp;</p><drupal-entity alt="Example of ESOL learner&apos;s work" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="02c3c9ed-5311-4d5a-b8f2-6cc62bd699eb" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{&quot;image_style&quot;:&quot;max_500x500&quot;,&quot;image_link&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;image_loading&quot;:{&quot;attribute&quot;:&quot;lazy&quot;}}">&nbsp;</drupal-entity>