As the largest and oldest chef’s organisation in the UK, gaining a Craft Guild of Chefs accreditation is no mean feat, and Harpurs Bistro, which sits within the University of Derby’s Further Education provision, is the only accredited FE training provider in Derbyshire, setting it apart as the home of culinary excellence in the area.
Chair of the prestigious organisation, David McOwen, commented that, “Assessors were very impressed with the quality of learning at the College and the support of neurodivergent students was commendable, with it being commented on by us all.”
The accreditation process is vigorous, taking into consideration the CVs of the college faculty and involving an in-depth verification day in which three members of the Craft Guild of Chefs attend to verify the institution. Among assessors welcomed into the iconic Devonshire Dome campus were Professor David Foskett, author of renowned culinary texts Practical Cookery and The Theory of Catering and Rupert Rowley who was previously a Michelin star chef at Fisher’s in Baslow.
Commenting further David said, “We were also massively impressed by the careers that students are progressing onto, we met some amazing students who were moving onto great things. You’ve got a great training restaurant which feels like a restaurant, which is what’s nice about it.”
One student the assessors were particularly impressed with was Francesca. After her tutor Leona met an individual from the Exclusive Hotel Group through a Craft Guild of Chefs summit, Francesca was able to apply for employment in the organisation and has since been offered the job at South Lodge Hotel.
Lasting five years, the Craft Guild of Chefs accreditation scheme also opens the door to the University’s FE provision being part of their accredited restaurant of the year programme, which is Lecturer Leona Ko’s next ambition.
Alongside the chance to showcase her students’ talent in national competitions Leona “We’re really proud of what we’ve achieved and we’re really looking forward to working with the Craft Guild of Chefs moving forward and taking advantage of all their advice and support, because this partnership is a fantastic opportunity for our learners to really understand the industry and add to their CV’s.”
As one of only twelve nationally recognised training providers, gaining this accreditation signals the start of a close and rewarding partnership with the Craft Guild of Chefs, and a promise to students that an excellent career in industry is sure to follow their hard work.
As the Craft Guild of Chefs increase their engagement with training providers across the country, David is hopeful that this will encourage a growth in FE numbers and open up more employment opportunities for students as they finish their college journeys.
The next education and training summit will be held in January at Loughborough College which the team at Harpurs will be attending to further grow their industry links and create the best training environment for young people looking to launch their culinary careers.
You can find out more about gaining culinary qualifications with the team at Harpurs by heading to blc.ac.uk
