Students on North Hertfordshire College’s Hospitality and Catering courses frequently take their learning outside of the classroom and apply it to work experiences and competitions. One of the staples in our calendar of events is Pub In The Park, where our students work alongside established chefs to cater for guests at the gastropub festival.
Liv Lewis, one of NHC’s Level 2 Diploma in Professional Cookery students, volunteered at Pub In The Park in St Albans this year to put her skills to the test and learn more about the industry. Find out more about her experience and why she thinks events like these are valuable to her learning in her Student Snapshot!
How would you summarise your Pub In The Park experience?
“Pub In The Park was such an amazing opportunity to get to work with talented chefs and learn a bit more about the behind-the-scenes at some of the most famous restaurants in the UK. It was so eye-opening to see how down-to-earth the chefs were and how generous they were with sharing their knowledge – especially Stephen Terry from The Hardwick.”
What did you enjoy the most about taking part in this experience?
“I particularly enjoyed talking to Stephen about his experience in the industry and getting an insight into his mind and seeing how The Hardwick runs. It was so special to spend that time working with Stephen and his team and being able to openly ask them any questions that I had was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me.”
How do you think this experience will help you on your learning and career journey?
“I think that this experience will have benefitted me a lot in the future as it has changed my views on the industry, especially seeing how laidback some of the chefs were. It’s given me confidence in my future, knowing that Stephen started from the bottom and worked his way up. It has definitely reinforced the mindset of ‘you get out of it what you put in’.”
If you’re looking to start a career in the Hospitality & Catering sector, why not check out North Hertfordshire College’s Hospitality & Catering courses?