Celebrity chef Stephanie Moon has cooked for royalty, has travelled the world sharing and gaining culinary skills, and has appeared on popular television shows including BBC 2’s Great British Menu.
And thanks to Nelson and Colne College, I have been given the opportunity to see exactly why she has been placed among the crème de la crème of the country’s cheffing talent.
The consultant chef from Yorkshire paid a visit to the Scotland Road site to spend time with Level 2 and 3 catering students, and help them serve a deliciously diverse three-course meal to around 70 guests.
Taking place in the college’s already reputable restaurant Farringtons, this was not only an incredible opportunity for students to learn from an award-winning talent, but also to deliver a full five-star package.
From the moment you were seated, students on front-of-house duty had every detail covered - from pouring water, to unfolding napkins, to ensuring orders were taken as soon as you were ready.
Each guest could choose between a selection of dishes, with our table of five making sure we had at least one of every option on our order. Not a hard decision with this exquisitely mouth-watering menu to choose from:
Starters:
Partridge with cobnut crust and potted game
Roasted beetroot salad with malt loaf wafers and pear puree
Crab, crayfish and avacado cocktail with cheese wafer
Main courses:
Pork fillet stuffed with orchard fruits, black pudding and crispy pancetta, with a red wine puys lentil juice
Spicy bean cakes with mango salsa and crispy potato wedges
Salmon en croute with baby spinach, cabbage and cream sauce
Desserts:
Assiette of lemon puddings
Baileys and hazelnut roulade with mulled fruit compote
Plate of local cheese with celery, grapes and homemade chutney
The selection, Stephanie later told me, was sent to the students by her prior to her visit, with an aim of bringing something different to tingle the tastebuds.
The seasoned pro was delighted to see some of the high
school students in attendance trying game for the first time, or actively taking an interest in the various cheeses set out in front of them.
And the chef, who has worked in
some of Yorkshire’s best-loved hotels and restaurants, also went on to add what a delight her own day had been, saying: “The students have done a great job, and have been really really keen. The head tutor Nick Hatch and curriculum leader for catering Jason Benn have been brilliant, and have been driving them through the day.
“Something like this can be really hard work, but this actually wasn’t. The students were organised, everything was on the go when I arrived, and it was an absolute pleasure. It is easy to make something good from something good.”
For me (I chose crab, pork and lemon puddings), the food was presented and cooked to absolute perfection - with the dessert in particular leaving me on cloud nine.
Not one guest was left disappointed, with each dish being packed with just the right amount of flavour and detail.
And at the college, staff were left thrilled with the enticing event, which helped give invaluable experience to aspiring chefs, wanting to gain success in a particularly challenging industry.
Deborah Howard, head of division for catering, said: “Diners, which included VIPS and those linked closely to the catering industry, were impressed with the level of service they received from our hospitality students, as well as the delicious food created by our catering students.
“There are so many exciting and varied career opportunities available in catering and hospitality and careers in this thriving industry are often overlooked; thanks to Stephanie, I am sure that the students who worked at the event will be inspired to make their own mark on the sector.”