A city MP visited Stoke on Trent College to officially open a brand-new pastry kitchen at its Cauldon Campus.
Jo Gideon, who is MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central, was joined by a group of students studying on the Professional Chef programme, along with staff from the College and a range of external partners, including representatives from Edge Design and Project Management and Unox.
The new facilities will enable the College to increase the range of specialist courses available, for both adults and young people. Following consultation with a range of local hospitality businesses, skills gaps were identified in areas such as sugar craft, Pastillage and Artisan bread making.
Funding for the new facilities has been provided by the Savoy Educational Trust, an independent, grant giving charitable trust.
As part of the special event, Jo and Lisa Capper, MBE, Principal and CEO of Stoke on Trent College paired up with students to complete a ‘cake off’ decorating challenge. The pair were tasked with decorating sunflower themed cupcakes which added some practical fun.
Lisa said: “We are really pleased to open these fantastic new facilities and would like to thank the Savoy Educational Trust for their support in making this happen.
“This pastry kitchen adds to our already impressive suite of specialist catering facilities – including a training kitchen and teaching restaurant. Our links with industry partners continue to grow as we invest in the future of not only our College, but in Stoke-on-Trent and the wider city region.”
Angela Maher, CEO at the Savoy Educational Trust said: “This new facility will not only benefit current and future students but also those in the local community that wish to develop their skills in patisserie, so we’re delighted to help make this happen.”
Steve Heaton, Section Leader for Hospitality and Catering added: “These fantastic new facilities are just like those found in the workplace and will enable our catering students to develop their skills and experience in this specialist area, to help to prepare them for future employment in the industry.”
