Pembrokeshire College Hails Unique Chefs’ Forum Partnership

Following another successful taster day for local schools held on Wednesday 29th March, the Welsh college, based in Haverfordwest explained that it couldn’t have achieved such enthusiasm without The Chefs’ Forum.

“There was cheering and so much positive energy in our purpose-built theatre from the school students who came to visit,” said Head of Curriculum Eva Rees “We can’t get that on our own. At the end of the day this is a partnership with The Chefs’ Forum. We provide the teaching expertise and The Chefs’ Forum helps us to reach local schools and work with top local employers to enrich our students’ learning by putting on events like these “Hospitality Industry Taster Days.” It was brilliant.”

Catherine Farinha, Director of The Chefs’ Forum, said: “We love coming to Pembrokeshire College. They make what we do so easy. They’re really proactive, they get everything ready, the teaching staff are excited and the whole college really shows itself to be a true centre of culinary excellence.

“We had interactive pasta-making with Orsola Muscia from The Tailor Made Chef and Alejandro Mayo Lopez from Plantagenet restaurant. That went really well. Then we did a pastry masterclass with college pastry students who made choux pastry and lastly an éclair decorating competition.”

Orsola Muscia regularly teaches at our Welsh colleges, she said

“Events like these are crucial to the future of our industry. I get so much joy out of seeing the look on the children’s faces when they create their first fresh tagliatelle and pesto, live on stage in front of their peers. I have been in the industry for twenty-five years and love passing on my knowledge and teaching students about Italian cuisine, just like my grandmother taught me from the age of four – I always knew I wanted to be a chef and love every aspect of the job and creating delicious food with genuine love and passion transcended through my hands.”

All students who helped out with the demos on stage received a copy of our new publication, The Chefs’ Knowledge, all they need to prepare themselves for college.

Alejandro made his demo stage debut at this event and had always been apprehensive about cooking live on stage in front of such a large audience, but he absolutely loved the experience and is now looking forward to the next event with The Chefs’ Forum who regularly run the chefs’ theatre at prolific food events and festivals all over the UK, he said

“The visiting school students were lively and spirited, with some of them shouting out comments and heckling. So, we embraced this, channeling this energy, inviting them onto the stage and getting them involved in the demos as tasters. They absolutely loved it.

“We also had the GM of local top hotel The Grove at Narberth with us, Thomas Ferrante, and he was able to tell his story to the students. I worked with Thomas before at The Grove, so it was great to see him again. He fell into hospitality after nearly becoming a barrister. He’s now the director of luxury hotel and restaurant company, The Seren Collection.

“There’s real career progression opportunities, this is a marvellous industry he told everyone.”