Visiting The Pig

Catering Students get support from the Rotary Club

A selected group of Year 11 students at Highcliffe School have completed an eight week enhanced cookery course thanks to support from Highcliffe Rotary Club. The course - organised by Mary Reader, a trustee of the Christchurch Food Festival Education Trust, and local chef Ian Hewitt - involved the students learning about the basics of how and where food is grown, the principles of food hygiene, and a wide range of cooking skills, including the jointing of chicken and filleting of fish for family meals.

The students also benefitted from a visit to the Pig Hotel and restaurant at Brockenhurst to see the extensive fruit and vegetable gardens, and enjoyed a talk from forager Gary Eveleigh. They also developed their team-building skills and learned to organise and host a meal for their parents and other invited guests, including the President of Highcliffe Rotary Club, John Zeale.

Their chosen savoury dishes included chestnut mushroom and quinoa risotto, chicken and prawn paella, lamb with a red wine jus and dauphinoise potatoes. Their delicious desserts included a mixed berry cheesecake, chocolate brownie and lemon posset.

Highcliffe School Deputy Head Nick O’Connor said: “This is the third course which has been run for us, and it has been the best in terms of building the students’ confidence in themselves and guiding them with their choice of further training for their future careers. They have learned to cook high quality meals and loved working with chef Ian Hewitt. We are delighted to be able to offer this course in conjunction with the Highcliffe Rotarians and the Christchurch Food Festival Education Trust and look forwards to continuing this excellent collaboration in the future”

Student quotes:
“I have learned skills that I never knew I could do. Mr Hewitt has been fantastic”
“What will I do with my Fridays now? I have had a brilliant time on this course”

For more information please contact Mary Reader 01425 837961.

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Owned by: | Last Published: 02/06/2014 13:12:12 | Next Update: N/A