Masterchef Winner, Simon Wood Joins Forces with The Manchester College for a Virtual Hospitality Industry Taster Event!

Following the launch of The Chefs’ Forum in Manchester last year, The Manchester College is to stage a virtual hospitality industry taster event on Microsoft Teams while social distancing restrictions are still in place. Prospective students will be treated to a pre-recorded cookery demo from Simon, as well as an interactive Chefs’ Quiz and a Q&A session with Simon Wood, college lecturers and students.

Simon Wood (Woods Restaurants) is Patron of The Chefs Forum Academy at The Manchester College, which sees top chefs coming into the college on a weekly basis to deliver guest lecturers to students in their usual working environment.

Simon is set to host a session in the College’s ‘Couch to College’ event on Wednesday (15) July, (1-2.30pm). Participants will enjoy a film of Simon’s Steak and Onion Yorkshire Pudding Wrap and enjoy an interactive Q&A session with him, which will follow.

Potential students are invited to join college lecturers as they showcase the college, its world class facilities, course options and The Chefs’ Forum Academy.

This will be a fantastic opportunity for the prospective students to learn all about courses offered at the college in professional cookery, front of house and technical patisserie and confectionary, as well as curriculum enrichment and employer engagement opportunities offered to students at the college.

Simon said

“I am delighted to have been asked to participate in this virtual event.  It just shows haw the college is adapting to the ‘new normal’, while continuing to promote its fantastic facilities and courses offered at the college. I look forward to welcoming students back into my restaurant once restrictions are lifted and, in the meantime, I am so grateful to be able to help inspire budding young chefs and hospitality professionals to join our fantastic industry.”

The Manchester College is the only college in the north of the UK to be working with The Chefs’ Forum Academy and this makes it a really attractive choice for any young person wanting to learn from the very best chefs in the industry.

Newly published Government National Achievement Rates Tables (NARTs) position the college as number one for overall achievements rates in Greater Manchester.

Catherine Farinha, Founder of The Chefs’ Forum will present The Chefs’ Forum Academy during the virtual event and talk about why The Manchester College is a fantastic choice for young people hoping to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. She said

“The weekly Chefs’ Forum Academy masterclasses, in normal times, involve top local chefs and front of house experts coming into the college to give a compelling and inspirational course of study throughout the academic year, culminating in work experience opportunities at the participating properties and businesses. This virtual taster event with Simon will showcase the top-level chefs being invited into the college to teach the students from September onwards, whether remotely, or in person if restrictions are lifted.”

Here’s a film of our launch at the college last January so you can see the sort of work we are doing with the college to bridge the gap between education and industry:

All chefs taking part wholeheartedly support The Chefs’ Forum Academy and all have previously worked with students at The Manchester College in the college kitchens as part of The Chefs’ Forum Academy scheme of learning.  The chefs come to the college each week and take a three-hour master class to enrich the learning of the students in line with the subjects they are required to learn to achieve their qualification.

At the same time as learning new skills, cooking techniques and recipes, the students are forging relationships with the visiting chefs which will help them in their efforts to find work on leaving college as the chefs will already be familiar to them.  Many learners get offered part time work whilst still in college – This serves to make them more work-ready and enables them to get work experience whilst studying – A win-win situation for all involved.

The Chefs’ Forum Academy also operates in West London College, Gloucestershire College, Bath College, Coleg Gwent and Pembrokeshire College with further colleges set to adopt this fantastic programme of curriculum enrichment later this year.  The Chefs’ Forum serves to bridge the gap between education and industry, inspiring young chefs and front-of-house professionals.

The Chefs’ Forum Academy will continue to offer ‘virtual curriculum enrichment’ across all colleges whilst social distancing restrictions are in place and look forward to being able to deliver practical masterclasses in the college once permitted.

Any potential students wishing to participate in the virtual Hospitality Industry Taster Event with Simon Wood and the Manchester College should register via the following link: https://www.tmc.ac.uk/couch-to-college/