News / Interstate Chefs Make A Sizzling Start
Interstate Hotel & Resort’s apprentice chefs have settled nicely into their new roles. The company, who have partnered with Inspiro Training to help deliver the programme, have taken on 17 apprentices from across the UK.
Kitted out in their pristine chef whites, the new recruits have already participated in a Fish and Shellfish Masterclass, where they learnt foundational culinary skills covering plaice, prawn and mussel dishes. They gained first-hand experience in filleting a whole fish, producing a fish stock, making a sauce, preparing king prawns and creating a batter mix, as well as improving their frying and knife skills. Throughout the masterclass, the apprentices had the chance to interact, discuss and learn from their teachers, enhancing their overall culinary knowledge.
The second masterclass focussed on meat, game and offal, where the apprentices cooked chicken liver pâté, steamed lamb faggots and rabbit croquettes to an excellent standard. The session developed butchery skills and provided the opportunity to create accompaniments from scratch to compliment the dishes. The apprentices also learned how to present the fare in an enticing way to the customer.
There are four Inspiro Masterclasses in total, with the next one concentrating on bread, dough and scones. The apprentices will prepare a white bread loaf or bloomer, stuffed naan bread and both sweet and savoury scones. The following month their attention will turn towards vegan and vegetarian dishes that look amazing and taste delicious.
Stephen Roach, Vice President of Food & Beverage for Interstate, said: “It’s great being able to bring our future chefs together to support their growth and enhance their culinary skills in a training kitchen environment. As the industry starts to recover, we need to look to the future and develop the next generation of chefs through our apprenticeship programme, releasing potential, nurturing talent, and building a sustainable workforce.”
The cohort’s appetite to learn, culinary talent and sheer enthusiasm will undoubtedly be a recipe for future success!
