Project Description

Inspiring Culinary Futures at St Andrew’s RC High School

As part of a wider project to support DAS learners with information about the world of work, St Andrew’s RC High School hosted an informative culinary career information session with one of Edinburgh’s most prominent chef’s. Matt Herd, Chef from Gleneagles Townhouse visited the school to provide students with an insight into his role and career journey.

Matt talked about how he got started, the different places he had worked and how he got promoted. Pupils asked him questions throughout the talk and the class had discussions around jobs in the hospitality sector. Matt then gave a demonstration of his culinary skills for pupils to see how they could work on developing their own skills in class to help them progress in to this sector.

Objective

The career inspiration talk at St. Andrew’s RC High School with S1/2 DAS children was ignited to provide them with pathway ideas to select courses for S3/4 that could help them on their journey to the world of work.

Outcomes

Increased Awareness of Culinary Careers: Students gained a deeper understanding of the diverse opportunities within the culinary and hospitality industries.
Inspiration Through Real-Life Stories: Hearing the chef’s personal journey and success story inspires students to consider culinary arts as a viable and rewarding career option.

Insight into Skills and Education: Students learned about the skills, training, and educational pathways required to excel in the culinary field, including the value of culinary schools and hands-on experience.
Understanding of Industry Challenges and Rewards: The chef provides a realistic view of the challenges, hard work, and dedication needed to succeed, balanced with the creative fulfillment and opportunities the profession offers.

Appreciation for Culinary Creativity: Students develop an appreciation for the artistry and innovation involved in creating dishes, inspiring them to explore their own creativity.
Networking Opportunities: The talk opened doors for future mentorship or connections, offering students resources to pursue their culinary interests further.

Promotion of Lifelong Skills: Even for those not pursuing culinary careers, students gained an understanding of how cooking skills can contribute to their personal lives and future independence.

Feedback

“It was great engaging with the pupils and showing them the different routes they could take to get in to this area of work. I loved all the questions they asked especially those who seemed extra passionate about pursing a career in this sector”

Matt Heard, Chef at Gleneagles Townhouse

Conclusion

Students left motivated to develop foundational skills, such as cooking at home, participating in school culinary programs, or seeking internships in the food industry. As a result of the event two pupils have asked to explore further options in school to help develop their skills in practical cookery and what they would need to do to attend a college in later years for jobs related to hospitality.