2018-04-09 |
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Students Deliver a Farm to Fork Culinary Experience
Northumberland College’s Professional Cookery students have been working in partnership with the College’s Kirkley Hall Farm and Horticulture department as part of a farm to fork initiative to create a special a-la-carte Northumberland lamb dining experience.
The Level 3 learners, who study at the College’s Ashington campus, are part of the first cohort of learners to take advantage of this unique partnership and have been regularly visiting the College’s Kirkley Hall campus, which incorporates a farm, Victorian walled gardens and greenhouses to broaden their knowledge of how foods they cook are produced.
David Kennedy and Northumberland College’s Hospitality and Catering team at The Gallery Restaurant.
Students have been involved in all aspects of lambing production
this year, taking part in sheep anatomy masterclasses with the
farm’s two main breeds of sheep, Texel’s and Suffolk’s, to identify
fat content by feeling lamb ‘hot spots’, located on ribs, loin
and dock.
After selecting four lambs from the flock, the team attended a
butchery masterclass with Simon Osborne, head butcher at the Blagdon
Farm Shop where students learned about all cuts of meat.
Andrew
Williamson, Agriculture lecturer and farmer at the College’s Kirkley
Hall campus said:
“It has been a pleasure to be part of this first
farm to fork initiative and I hope this is the start of a fantastic
partnership.”
Hospitality and Catering Course Leader,
David Jackson, said:
“Facilities at the college’s Kirkley Hall
campus give us a unique opportunity to teach our students about
food origins. Working in collaboration with the farm and horticulture
department, we can offer this farm to fork ethos which is fantastic.
No other catering students in the region have that opportunity.”
The first part of the partnership began in September, when hospitality students collaborated with the College’s horticulture department meaning fresh, local seasonal produce is now used in a range of the restaurant dishes.
Produce grown includes apples, which were made into chutney and sold in the College’s food outlets, pumpkins and squashes for use in soup and tomatoes, baby aubergines, runner beans and leeks.
David added:
“This project has been fantastic experience
for our learners, seeing exactly where the food we prepare and eat comes from
and the process which is included, by working with Northumberland based experienced
farmers, butchers and chefs.”
The final a-la-carte five course-tasting menu, put together with support from Pleased to Meet You Head Chef, David Kennedy, was served in the College’s fine dining 40-seater restaurant, The Gallery last week.
The menu included Northumbrian Lamb Broth, Smoked Lamb Belly and Lamb Scrumpet and was enjoyed by members of the public as well as special guest’s from the Kirkley Hall farm team.
Head Chef, David Kennedy, who has
been working with Northumberland College students to develop their industry
skills and knowledge throughout the process, said:
“It has been great to get
involved with what the hospitality, horticulture and farming teams are trying
to achieve at Northumberland
College.
“It is vital students on Hospitality courses are educated in a rounded way which gives exposure to all elements of the industry. These young people are the future of our industry and it’s crucial we support their development in any way we can.”
Andrew Williamson
added:
“Chefs and consumers drive farmers and the demand for certain types
of products has recently changed, with the need for much leaner meat so it’s
very important and great learning experience for hospitality students to see
where their meat comes from and the hard work which is put in to ensure the
finest quality. It was fantastic to see and taste our lambs being
used to such a high standard of cooking.”
The team are now preparing for the North East Culinary and Trade Association (NECTA) competition which takes place at Gateshead Hilton Hotel on 5 May and will include a mixture of competitions, live classes, displays and exhibits.
Last year, Northumberland College were crowned the NECTA Champions for the first time in the College’s history after securing five gold, four silver and 12 bronze medals as well as three trophies, two cups and the overall competition winners plate.
The Gallery restaurant opened in 2015 and since, has developed a programme of work experience for hospitality students that includes visits by leading guest chefs.
The British hospitality industry, incorporating restaurants and food service management, employs 10% of the national workforce with 100,000 new jobs forecast by 2020 and in September, Northumberland College became one of the first college’s to introduce Technical Qualifications to meet that demand.
The UK’s booming leisure sector sees career opportunities for those within hospitality include commis chef, head chef, waiting staff and restaurant manager.
