Carluccio’s and Westminster Kingsway College celebrate their 20th Chefs’ School
Westminster Kingsway College has been working with the famous Italian restaurant group Carluccio’s to provide a programme of education and training for some of the finest young chefs in the UK. The Carluccio’s Chefs’ School – Scuola per Cuochi – is run in partnership with Westminster Kingsway College to provide Carluccio’s chefs with new skills and professional training. The school was originally founded over 10 years ago and will this week complete its 20th Chefs’ School with over 200 chefs completing the programme.
Chefs from the Carluccio’s restaurant chain are selected to participate in the school and undertake a 14 week part-time training programme at Westminster Kingsway College in central London alongside their normal working week. The focus is on practical hands-on experience, extending their passion for food and increasing the chefs’ specialist knowledge of Italian cuisine. In the last two years, the programme has also added a Level 1 City & Guilds certificate which covers the required criteria without deviating from the ethos of the original Chefs’ School. The training programme includes a number of lectures outlining the principals of Italian eating, regional food and the importance of using quality ingredients. This is followed by practical classes at Westminster Kingsway College that cover a wide range of subjects including pasta, butchery, the preparation of stocks and sauces, fish and shellfish, poultry, soup, desserts and Italian bakery.
The Chefs’ School culminates in a graduation dinner held at Westminster Kingsway College’s famous Vincent Rooms. The Carluccio’s chefs prepare a four course Italian meal using their new skills for invited guests of Carluccio’s and Westminster Kingsway College where they get to show off the skills they have learnt and receive their certificate of achievement. The Carluccio’s Chefs’ School with Westminster Kingsway College was recently recognised with a hospitality education industry PACE Award for the Partnership with Industry in recognition of the work that the college has done in training chefs for the restaurant group.
Nicola Power is currently a Carluccio’s chef at the restaurant in Worcester and said: “I really enjoy learning and wanted to do a course that would help me to grow. I have developed at Carluccio’s but this course offers a qualification and gives us time to learn new skills and ask questions. I have really enjoyed exchanging ideas with other Carluccio’s chefs from around the country. It is great to come to Westminster Kingsway College as everything is set-up for you to learn – from the equipment to the chef lecturers’ sharing their knowledge.”
Malcolm Fogg, Head Chef for Training at Carluccio’s said: “At the end of the day, we know that we are in safe hands with Westminster Kingsway College. It’s the ability that they have to listen to what we want and being able to react to the situations that we are asking for. With great pride we can say that the Chefs’ School is enhancing the skill set of our chefs and is a major part of their development and progression.”
Gary Hunter, Head of Hospitality, Culinary Arts and Food Service at Westminster Kingsway College said: “The partnership with Carluccio’s has been developed over many years and we are delighted to continue the success of the Chefs’ School with Westminster Kingsway College and deliver the training that helps these young chefs to learn and develop their skills.”
