Weston College has held a series of MasterChef-style competitions in prisons across the south west.

Prison learners were taught a range of catering skills before putting them to the test and cooking a meal of their own. Prison governors then chose the winner after sampling the dishes.

The day-long courses were designed to inspire learners and encourage them to consider a career in catering when they are released.

The initiative was hailed a huge success by Weston College Training and Development Manager Brian Howe, who taught the courses with colleague Pedro Aparicio.

Brian said: “First, all the learners took part in a demonstration, which involved showing them how to cut poultry.

“They then produced a range of fantastic dishes using the skills they had learned – including Oriental, Asian and Caribbean-style chicken. Some even cooked their own naan and pitta bread from scratch. The standard was amazing.

“It was so rewarding to see the passion and skill on display – they took in absolutely everything they were shown.

“The idea was to show what a career in catering and hospitality could offer. I lost count how many said that’s what they wanted to do when they are released.”

The classes were organised by the Weston College - the school of food apprenticeship team chef apprenticeship team known as The School of Food – a new chef apprenticeship jointly delivered by Weston College. The School of Food is a unique training course, run by chefs for chefs and designed to tackle the local skills shortage. A new and exciting apprenticeship programme that launched in April 2018, training aspiring chefs. Among the School of Food’s latest intake is a learner recently released from HMP Leyhill, who was inspired by the prison MasterChef class.

Weston College provides education services to ten prisons across the South West of England – Leyhill, Eastwood Park, Bristol, Erlestoke, Guys Marsh, The Verne, Portland, Exeter, Channings Wood and Dartmoor.

The Weston College Offender Learning team delivers a wide range of training provision in South West prisons, including catering, English, maths, customer service, art, plastering, carpentry, plastering and bricklaying. Curriculums are designed to engage offenders in learning and help them gain the skills and qualifications required to find sustainable employment when they are released. Weston College is proud to work in partnership with and supporting the Ministry of Justice and Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service to rehabilitate offenders and reduce re-offending.

Tell us a bit about yourself

I’m the real deal – a chef who wears many hats. I’m a husband, a father and a grandfather, as well as the singer in a band called The Leylines, and an ex-student of Weston College.

I love, love, love cooking with learners. Not only cooking for them, but inspiring them – teaching them and igniting their passion for food and new flavours. I have great fun teaching learners how to cook and what it means to eat healthily.

When and what did you study at Weston College?

I was here in 1992 and studied a 706 1 and 2 in Catering (now a City and Guilds Level 1 and 2 Professional Cookery)

I came back in 2012 to do an NVQ Level 2 and 3 in Professional and Advanced Cookery.

Do you have any fun stories or fond memories of your time here?

It involves a dark night, Jack Daniels, bambi and a security guard. If you want to know more, you’ll have to find me and ask! I also remember one of the first dishes we created which was a chicken ballotine in a white wine and mushroom sauce, I have since adapted this recipe and it is still my signature dish.

How did Weston College help you get where you are today?

The College gave me the skills, connections and knowledge I needed to enter the workplace and to run my own businesses. It’s given me a solid base. My tutor, Tony Rawlins, was fun and seemed to be able to relate to us, which meant coming to College was easy.

What other jobs have you done?

Where do I start? I’ve owned my own restaurant, burger van and private catering company for events – including weddings.

I’ve also worked in restaurants, school kitchens, hotels and cafés.

How did you get into the catering industry, and why did you choose it?

When I was 16 I wasn’t sure what to do, as I didn’t excel in anything academic. I had a part-time job delivering Chinese takeaways and I was always intrigued about the smells, the colours and of course the taste of the food. Before that, I’d never considered a career in food.

I later joined a YTS course and one of my first placements was the Italian restaurant at Cadbury House Country Club and Hotel in Congresbury. I then got a part-time job at the Anchor Head Hotel, where I did the breakfast and lunch service, and, at weekends, I worked at the Orange Tree Café. The hours were long and hard work, but it taught me how varied and interesting a career in catering could be.

Tell us about today and your role here

The Lead Association for Catering in Education (LACA) South West School Chef of the Year competition was at Weston College at the end of January 2019.

5 south west finalists including Robert Doble of Sandroyd School, and Tollard Royal and Dave Leeper of The Trafalgar School in Downton, competed in the regional final, demonstrating creative dishes that are suitable for 11-year-olds.

The contestants had up to £5.20 to spend and 90 minutes to prepare, cook and serve four identical two-course menus to judges.

The meals were judged by three people, Mark Rigby, executive head chef at the event main sponsors Premier Foods, Stuart Brereton from event sponsors MKN Catering Equipment and Carol Horwood who is the National organiser for LACA SCOTY.

As a committee member for LACA and a former winner of the regional School Chef of The Year title, I was humble to be asked to be the regional organiser and present the awards.

The winner Dave Leeper was named LACA South West School Chef of the Year 2019 and will go through to the national final in March.

You can see photos, video clips and more at https://twitter.com/LACA_UK

It’s been widely publicised that that there is a shortage of skills in the catering and hospitality industry. Why do you think more people should join the industry?

Because everyone loves someone who can cook. If you want to treat someone you take them out for dinner, but if you can do this yourself, it opens up so many possibilities.

If you’re at uni – the best way to make friends in the first week is to be able to help others cook.

If you’re in a band and on the road – the band needs someone who can cook for them (always me).

If you get home late and there are only three ingredients are in the fridge, and a potential girlfriend or boyfriend is coming over, you want to be able to throw something together.

There’s no better feeling than cooking something on the course and taking it home to friends and family – or cooking it at home. You get such a buzz and satisfaction from it.

There are so many potential avenues to follow after catering courses at Weston College, as there are so many opportunities to work locally in one of the many great local restaurants or hotels.

If you have the drive, passion and determination, and want to make money, you can set up your own business. Or, you can move to London and work in a Michelin stared restaurant, work on a cruise ship, take charge of the catering for an F1 team or on a private yacht of VIPs. The opportunities are out there, and Weston College helps set you on your journey with the best skills.

Do you have any advice to future students?

Catering doesn’t have to just be a job, it can be vocation, a lifestyle – don’t be mundane be ‘mazing!

Tell us about your book.

I think there are two key stages in life when it comes to cooking. First, from the age of 3 to 13, when kids enjoy spending time with significant others, whether that’s baking a cake for the family or helping to make dinner. Then, at 16, when you realise you can do exciting things in the kitchen – like flipping pancakes or flambéing (when alcohol is added to a hot pan to create a burst of flame).

‘Family Cooking with The School Chef’ is aimed at the first age group. You don’t have to be a top chef to cook lovely, healthy – and sometimes naughty – nutritious, flavoursome and colourful food. It’s about creating fun, sharing but most of all spending time as a family cooking food.

Most of my recipes are simple, delicious and classic recipes that will bring families together in the kitchen to have fun preparing a meal. The book is also a reference to my family and how we cook together but also has buying guides and top tips.

Visit www.theschoolchef.co.uk for some free videos and easy-to-follow recipe downloads to get you started.

Anything else you would like to add?

I hope by reading this I have inspired you to find out what courses are available.

You can find out more by visiting www.weston.ac.uk today.

Date for your diary - Hospitality Event Taster Day at the Winter Gardens on the 20th March, 11.00 am until 13.00pm. Contact your school to see if they are attending or email Sandra.bull@weston.ac.uk to find out more!

Weston College catering students were given a masterclass in sausage making from a local expert this week.

Martin Felstead, from Greenway Farm – a venue based near Bridgwater – visited the College’s Grove Training Kitchen to pass on some experience to the students.

Martin has spent most of his life in the hospitality trade, having owned and managed hotels, restaurants and catering businesses. He recently managed a number of projects for Cote Brasserie and Bill’s coffee shops, but is now focusing his attention on building a successful business at Greenway with his wife Sue.

At Greenway they have been keeping pigs for eight years, and specialise in some of the rarer, traditional breeds that modern day farming can sometimes overlook – such as the Gloucester Old Spot, Oxford Sandy and Black, Middle White, Tamworth and Saddleback. They keep them in small numbers in their own field with plenty of space to roam and a warm shelter. The pigs have a diet of organic pignuts and fruit and vegetable scraps. They make several varieties of sausages, including leek and apple, and Cumberland, and use only the finest pork, rusk and flavourings. They sell sausages at the Combwich Market on the second Saturday of each month, and direct from the Farm.

Martin brought in ‘Greenway pork’ for the students to use, and taught a number of sausage-making techniques, including how to tie the sausages and which cuts to use.

You can check out some more photos from the session on The Grove’s Facebook page.

The session was a great success and there are plans to invite Martin back to The Grove Training Kitchen next term.