Former Westminster Kingsway College Student & Celebrity Chef Sophie Wright Presents a Masterclass to Culinary Arts Students

Culinary Arts students from Westminster Kingsway College in London Victoria, were fortunate enough to have former student and celebrity Chef Sophie Wright, present a cookery masterclass.

Sophie Wright, a former Culinary Arts student who graduated from Westminster Kingsway College at the age of 20, is now a chef, author and entrepreneur. Sophie gave the Culinary Arts students a brief cookery masterclass demonstrating how to make one of her favourite scallop dishes. She spoke about her inspiring journey on becoming one of Britain’s youngest female chefs.

Sophie said: “I knew that I wanted to be in the food and hospitality industry and I didn’t see anywhere better than Westminster Kingsway College, which has been an institution for over 100 years. The College is very well established and has a fantastic reputation which continues to grow year on year.”

Sophie has been featured in Great Food Live, ITV Daily Cooks and Food Poker on BBC2 and has also been featured in The Times, who named Sophie as one of the ‘most influential under 25 year olds’. Red Magazine also named her in their ‘Top 20 under 30 to watch’ feature. Sophie has a flourishing career as an author and blogger and has published hugely successful books such as Home by 7, Dinner by 8, Cooking on a Shoe String and Easy Peasy: Laid-Back Food for Lazy Days.

Sophie did a Q & A session with students on her experience as a chef and what it takes to enter such a competitive male dominated market. Sophie emphasised the types of challenges that women can expect to face within the industry and how to overcome them. Sophie said: “The advice I would give to woman is that you can do anything that a man can do.  If you want to be the next head chef of a Michelin star kitchen, you can. If you want to have a family, you can. You do have to juggle things; I’ve got a little boy and it is challenging, as you have to sacrifice certain things but when he grows up I will still have another 30 years of my career left.”

Sophie gave our students one last piece of advice: “Make sure you utilise your lecturers as much as possible, and take in as much information from as early as you possibly can. Really throw yourself at the opportunity to learn, and fully invest yourself in the College and the College will invest in you.”