It will be UK’s first and only gastronomy qualification. Stoke on Trent College is hosting a webinar on Saturday July 18, called Stoke Saturday Kitchen where potential students will be able to find out what the course is all about
The course, created by Cris Cohen in partnership with the college, will be one year long and available to school-leavers and adult learners. Designed to dive into the roots of food and to explore local gastronomy, as well as shaping the future of food.
The curriculum will include core subjects such as English, maths and science, exploring fermentation and foraging as well as the more traditional skills such as presentation, flavour pairings and classical execution.
Themes throughout the course will include sustainability, community and the heritage of Stoke-on-Trent. The majority of the course will be delivered in the college’s state-of-the-art catering kitchens at the Cauldon campus, with some distance learning and online masterclasses from experts in the industry.
“What we want to shine through is the ambition behind this course. We aim to raise aspirations around careers in food and in the area, as it is an industry with so much potential, waiting to be unearthed,” said Cris Cohen, founder of FeastEd.
Denise Brown, principal, Stoke on Trent College, commented, “We are delighted to be working with Cris and his team to inspire local people with this new gastronomy course. This is a high-level qualification that can lead to other courses and university – and is ideal for anyone fascinated by food, foraging, sustainability and, of course, cooking to the highest professional standards. Cris is true to his Stoke-on-Trent roots. He has been highly successful in the gastronomy field and he believes passionately in encouraging more young people to aspire to cook and work with food and to connect them with the history and heritage of the area.”
She added, “This new course combines those two things along with his other passion and ours – sustainability. This is about showing students how to create something truly amazing with even the most basic of ingredients – in particular food that can be foraged, that may have been thrown out or discarded – minimising waste and making exciting, inspirational food dishes for people on any budget. We are thrilled to be bringing this exciting learning opportunity to Stoke on Trent in partnership with Cris and his team.”
It’s the first and only gastronomy qualification in the country, examining local roots and offering an industry recognised qualification at the end of the 12 months. There are also plans to open the Atrium restaurant based at Stoke-on-Trent college, with students bringing inspirational flavours and exciting dishes to local foodies at affordable prices.
Stoke on Trent College is hosting a webinar on Saturday 18th July called Stoke Saturday Kitchen where potential students will be able to find out what the course is all about and see some of the dishes that will be created throughout the year. With guest appearances from local and national chefs, the session will run from 11 am until 1 pm.
For information visit www.stokecoll.ac.uk/feasted.
