Butchery, Chocolate Tasting and an Urban Forage at South Thames College
Having just celebrated its first birthday, the ‘Taste’ restaurant at South Thames College played host to The Chefs’ Forum’s third event in London since its launch at Westminster Kingsway College with Pierre Koffmann last May. On Monday 29th September, The College’s Chef Ambassador Bruno Loubet worked with Head Chef at Coworth Park Ross Marshall to produce impressive savoury and sweet canapés with VRQ Level 2 students for the top chefs who attended the event.
Loubet, Ex head chef at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saison and latterly chef proprietor at Bistro Bruno Loubet & The Grain Store said: “The students have been excellent, very professional and extremely enthusiastic. I do a lot with the College as its Chef Ambassador and am very impressed with its students’ performance, it’s great to be able to pass on my knowledge and experience to the next generation of young chefs.”
Ross Marshall added: “I have really enjoyed working with the students today. It was great to see them knuckle down and take direction. The result was some excellent work. One VRQ Level 2 student Sam Atunrase (17) attempted complex macaroons for the first time and completely excelled at them – I was very impressed.”
Jessie Dang (18) also VRQ Level 2 is billed as one of the College’s most promising students by her lecturers. Jessie has attended and helped out at three previous Chefs’ Forum events in London and Bristol and says she really enjoys the chance to network with employers and work with top chefs. Last time it was The Craft Guild of Chefs National Chef of The Year winner Adam Handling at St Ermin’s Hotel and this time top chef Bruno Loubet, she said: “I have had a really exciting day and can’t wait to put myself forward to help out at future Chefs’ Forum events, I find them very inspirational”.
All ingredients for canapés were supplied by Turners Fine Foods, Walter Rose & Son Butchers, Cacao Barry chocolate and First Choice Produce.
Bruno Loubet then performed a brilliant cookery demonstration of ‘Posh Pringles with a celeriac mousse’ to an audience of chef peers and students.
Dessert came in the form of a tutored chocolate tasting session for the culinary experts with Beverley Dunkley of Cacao Barry, guests got to taste four different chocolates which was very interesting indeed.
The day was rounded off with fantastic urban forage with Michelin-starred Simon Hulstone’s personal forager David Harrison in Merton Park, Morden which neighbours the College. Students and chefs alike discovered a plethora of edible flora, fauna, fruit and fungi growing wild and free in the local London park!
This Chefs’ Forum event was a great success and showcased the world class facilities and talented young chef and front of house students at South Thames College to local employers firmly putting it on the industry map.
