North Hertfordshire College’s Hospitality & Catering students put their skills to the test at the International Salon Culinaire, bringing home a whopping 35 medals and awards.
The competition formed part of HRC, Hotel, Restaurant & Catering exposition at ExCeL London, an industry trade fair that sees renowned organisations come together to showcase products and new developments. This meant that our students weren’t just showing their skills to the judges, but to industry experts and figures who attended the show, too – high stakes!
Our learners competed across a range of different disciplines and received a total of 10 merits, 12 bronze medals, 12 silver medals, and one gold medal for their amazing skills. This is a brilliant achievement for all our learners, especially for those who have competed for the first time like Level 1 Professional Cookery student Luci, who achieved two silver medals. Reflecting on her competition experience, Luci said: “This was my first catering competition, it was a great experience to see my fellow peers competing as well. We also got to see professionals competing in their own competitions, which was inspiring to see.
“There were lots of businesses displaying their products and equipment, which was very educational and a great networking opportunity. I would like to thank the College’s tutors for giving us this fantastic experience and a great day out.”
Level 2 Diploma in Food & Beverage Service learner Erin, who earned a silver medal in the Cocktail Mixology heat, also enjoyed her time competing. She commented: “This has been a fantastic experience and a great opportunity to meet lots of like-minded people who all have similar destinations. I cannot wait to start preparing for next year’s competition.”
Stuart Dunlop, Head of Hospitality & Catering at North Hertfordshire College, is incredibly proud of what his learners have achieved. In a message he sent to the students, he commented: “I’ve been mulling over the day and wanted to say a massive well done for not only what you achieved today, which was incredible, but the professionalism and support you showed each other across all the disciplines. Bravo to you all and enjoy your successes.”
Congratulations again to all our learners!
If you fancy developing your own catering or hospitality skills before putting them to the test in competitions, then check out North Hertfordshire College’s Hospitality & Catering courses! With NHC, you can stay close to home and access amazing opportunities, helping you go far in your career.