Top London Chefs Inspire Next Generation of Talent at Westminster Kingsway College!
On Monday (7) November, five of London’s most highly-skilled chefs helped 40 young people serve up a mouth-watering meal for 70 extremely discerning diners in one of the most famed catering colleges in the country. Nearly £1100 was raised to support young people with travel costs in accessing work experience, essential equipment and helping colleges to fund employer trips and visits.
Westminster Kingsway College opened up three of its teaching kitchens to the cream of the culinary profession on Monday to host a fundraising lunch for The Chefs’ Forum Educational Foundation CIC – An organisation incorporated by Catherine Farinha and Alexandra Duncan in October 2016 to raise vital funds to help disadvantaged young people to enter the hospitality business, by linking them up with employers and providing essential support and equipment.
Allumni from the award-winning college include Dennis Mwakulua, Sophie Wright, Ben Murphy, Jamie Oliver and Ainsley Harriott.
The Chefs’ Forum bridges the gap between industry and education and by hosting it for the second time, Westminster Kingsway underlined its commitment to the initiative in inspiring young chefs, enriching their learning and forging strong links with leading employers within the industry.
Guiding the students from Westminster Kingsway college on the day were Paul da Costa Greaves and Jak Cresser-Brown from Koppert Cress on the starter, Tom Cenci from Duck and Waffle on the Fish Course, Paul Shearing from The Gordon Ramsay Group’s Bread Street Kitchen on the meat course and Daniel Pearse from Hakkasan on dessert. Presiding at the occasion ‘front of house’ was level three restaurant supervisor Sam Bridges, mentored by Owen Evans HE 
Hospitality Culinary Arts Food an
d Beverage Lecturer.
All ingredients and drinks for the lunch were kindly sponsored by Koppert Cress, Marr Fish, Walter Rose & Son and First Choice Produce, Valrhona, CHEF, Tarquin’s Gin and Berry Bros & Rudd. Diners were asked to contribute only what they were able to The Chefs’ Forum Educational Foundation, making this high-profile event and excellent cuisine accessible to all chefs, regardless of income.
Together, the chefs and students created and served a four-course meal for around 70 professionals from the catering industry who were all there to get in touch with the next generation of talent whilst catching up with their peers and suppliers.
Owen Evans stated:
“Today has been a fantastic experience for our students. The food was superb and it was a great opportunity to showcase our students’ professionalism and skills. I would like to thank The Chefs’ Forum for making today a great success and inspiring our students.”
Catherine Farinha, Chefs’ Forum Founder organised the event, the second to be hosted at the College, she added:
“We launched the London Chefs’ Forum here with industry heroes Pierre Koffmann, Ruthie Rogers, Arthur Potts Dawson, Cyrus Todiwala and Allan Picket back in 2014. It is fantastic to return to Westminster Kingsway College three years later to work with a new cohort of students and the next generation of top chefs. The chefs and students did a fantastic job today, they really stepped up to the task and it’s important that we nurture and support the next generations of hospitality professionals. It’s important they have the opportunity to work with industry on the practical side, as well as on theory. For the Westminster Kingsway, this Chefs’ Forum event is an excellent opportunity to build on important networks and partnerships in the hospitality and catering industry.”
Photography by: www.fayditphotography.com
