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WSH Supports
School Restaurant Project To Promote Hospitality Careers
Westbury
Street Holdings (WSH), the owner of the UK’s most successful portfolio of
independent catering and hospitality businesses, has sponsored a unique school dining
event to inspire children’s thinking towards food and service.
‘The
Restaurant Project’ – developed by hospitality expert Fred Sirieix (BBC2 Michel
Roux’s Service) in conjunction with celebrity chef Vivek Singh (MasterChef and
Saturday Kitchen) – was hosted by Edmund Waller Primary School in Lewisham to
capture the imagination of primary school children and raise the profile of
catering and hospitality careers as a credible choice for young people.
Taking place
across two evenings (27 and 28 June 2012), ‘The Restaurant Project’ involved pupils
from year six working alongside Fred and Vivek to run their very own restaurant.
The classes of 10-year-olds had the chance to gain hands on experience of
working in a busy kitchen, receiving guidance and culinary expertise from
Indian cuisine chef Vivek (founder of The Cinnamon Club) and creating an
exquisite, Indian-inspired menu with hints of classic British ingredients, supplied by WSH.
The dishes were
then handed over to Fred and his ‘front of house’ team, who had the task of
serving the three course meal to teachers and their parents. Fred worked with
his team of pupils to deliver excellent service, co-ordinate tables and ensure
their guests had a memorable experience from the moment they walked through the
door to the moment they put on their coats to leave.
John Bennett,
Chief Operating Officer for WSH’s education businesses, commented: “This
project is a shining example of our commitment to raising industry standards
and engaging with children and young people. It’s vital that children are
educated about food service and hospitality at a young age to ensure the next
generation aspire to be industry ambassadors like Fred and Vivek. I’m certain
that ‘The Restaurant Project’ will be an inspirational education tool for other
schools.”
Fred Sirieix,
General Manager at the Michelin-starred restaurant Galvin at Windows on London’s Park Lane, said: “The Restaurant
Project provided the perfect opportunity to inspire children, involve the
community and promote service and hospitality to young people. Teaching
children the art of this profession is extremely important if we want to grow
and enhance the industry and what better way to educate than to install a
pop-up restaurant at school? The children had an incredible and enriching
experience that opened their eyes to the industry and gave them a taste of what
it can offer them in the future – a credible career.”
‘The
Restaurant Project’ compliments WSH’s portfolio of education initiatives,
including The School Kitchen Garden project, which aims to help children to be
more aware of how food is grown, how it should be nurtured through the growing
process and the journey of “field to plate”. The company has also recently joined
forces with the Academy of Culinary Arts, the professional association for
chefs, restaurant managers and suppliers, through its Chefs Adopt a School
initiative to help school children develop a better understanding of where food
comes from.