South Lanarkshire College students started the 2021/22 academic year with a culinary bang.
They played a key part in creating and preparing the menu for a fine dining lunch at the world-renowned 5-star Old Course Hotel in St Andrews.
And that involved staff and students from the East Kilbride-based college's hospitality section.
The event was attended by 55 esteemed guests from the hospitality industry and was arranged to showcase Scottish ‘sustainable’ seafood, with Scottish suppliers helping students on the day.
Lecturer and Master Chef, David Auchie, was joined by hospitality students Jamie Kimmett, Jason Simpson, Nelly Dokie, Shannon Lippiatt, Ellie Turner, Jackie Chan and Susan Scott in flying the flag for SLC.
All major food prep had been completed in the college before being safely sent and served to guests at the luxury resort.
The mouth-watering menu produced and prepared in collaboration with Compass Scotland comprised of canapes; Anster cheese gougere, salmon with Mara seaweed; and Heather Hills honey mousse with Glenlivet whisky, lavender, lemon and Zallotti Blossom complemented by caramelised chocolate.
SLC students cooked the lunch in partnership with chefs from Compass Scotland and the event was a wonderful opportunity to embrace sustainability issues, also giving them logistical experience as they learned the skills needed to cater for larger numbers to Michelin standard cookery.
One lucky student, Shannon Lippiatt, told Lanarkshire Live : "It's been an amazing opportunity to create this service for the Master Chef's lunch at St Andrews.
"It’s an experience I’ll never forget. I was thrilled to meet the amazing chefs, learn what it is like to run a service in a professional kitchen and show off the skills I’ve gained over the past few years at South Lanarkshire College.
"This experience has given me confidence and helped me realise how far I have actually come in my cooking career. I am very proud of myself for that and thankful for everyone who has helped me on my culinary journey.”
Jamie Kimmett, Jason Simpson and Nelly Dokie were presented with the ‘Master Chef's Training Diploma’ for exceptional standards demonstrated over and above during the academic term 2020. The award delivery had been delayed due to COVID restrictions.
All students involved in the prestigious lunch were awarded a certificate of participation as a memento of their day.
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