inside - South Downs College

Issue 9
Newsletter
inside
Farewell to Gerry Shurman
Allan Pickett
Young Seafood Chef of the
Year competition
Turkish Evening with Istanbul
Culinary Arts chefs
The London scene
2013/14
2
Contents
Welcome3
Tourism joins Catering4
Young Seafood Chef of the Year
5
5* Afternoon Tea6
Farewell to Gerry Shurman7
Allan Pickett8
Christmas 20139
Turkish Evening with Culinary Arts Academy of Istanbul
10
Nestlé Toque d’Or competition11
A look at the London scene
12
Langstone Hotel takeover13
Dates for your diary14
Reservations15
Opening times
Restaurant
Lounge Bar
Lunch
Monday to Thursday 10.00am - 3.30pm
Friday 10.00am - 3.30pm
Monday lunch club served from 12noon - 12.45pm (last order)
Tuesday to Friday 12noon - 12.45pm
Two course £10.75
Three course £12.75
Dinner
Tuesday & Wednesday Fine Dining 6.00pm - 6.45pm (last orders)
A La Carte dinner with a complimentary ‘Amuse’ three course
£20.50
Thursday Evening Taster 6.00pm - 6.45pm (last orders)
Three course taster menu £15.95
Tel: 023 9279 7952 or Ext 952
Le Shop
Monday to Friday 9.30am - 4.00pm
www.restaurant.southdowns.ac.uk
Check out the Restaurant section on the College website, where you can make a reservation and
view our menus, latest news stories and photos.
3
Welcome
Dear Restaurant customer
Welcome to our new publication of the Restaurant Newsletter which I hope you will enjoy.
In addition to our busy restaurant programme we will continue to host a range of afternoon tea
flights on board our B747 throughout 2013/14 with our FLYSDC Cabin Crew students. The first flight
of the season is scheduled for Thursday 14 November 2013.
We will continue with our very popular ‘Monday lunch club’ which offers guests an exciting range of
lunches from themed buffets to taster and à la carte menus at highly competitive prices.
Our popular two or three course lunches are available Tuesday through to Friday from 12noon.
Our award winning ‘Fine Dining’ evenings remain a favourite with discerning customers on a Tuesday
and Wednesday when our menus are prepared and cooked by advanced Level 3 Professional Cookery
students, using locally sourced and ecologically sound ingredients reflecting styles and trends found in
some of the top restaurants.
It is now a year since the new bar was installed and launched following a fabulous cocktail training
session from Pennyhill Park Hotel Ascot bar manager, Krzystof Prokop and assistant bar manager Luke
Miller. We hope to focus this year on extensive training with the students on the art of cocktail/
mocktail making with a programme of cocktails planned during lunch and dinner service.
As an alternative, on Thursday evenings our popular ‘Taster menu’ offers guests something a little
different, sampling all the starters and desserts and choosing a main course from a themed menu.
Our restaurant area is an invaluable operation in providing our students with a realistic working
environment, and we highly value your contribution in helping our students to succeed and achieve.
For details of forthcoming events please see ‘notable dates’ at the back of the magazine. To keep you
informed about events and special offers kindly email me at [email protected] with
your email address.
Please find your discount meal voucher on page 15.
In addition please visit the restaurant website at www.restaurant.southdowns.ac.uk where you can
view current and future menus and also make a reservation on-line using ’Opentable’ (excluding the
Christmas period)
For bookings or enquiries please do not hesitate to contact me on 023 9279 7952.
Follow us on Twitter @restaurant_sdc or like us on facebook.com/SDCrestaurant
4
Tourism joins Catering,
Hospitality and Travel
There are many changes ahead for the CHAT department this year - the ‘T’ for travel - will
now become ‘T’ for Tourism as we welcome our Tourism colleagues into the Catering and
Hospitality team.
The move makes sense as both subjects operate under the same Sector Skills Council, People 1st, and
the topics covered by each area have several natural links.
There will be many opportunities for joint projects and themed events with culinary and geographical
links. The College’s on site travel agency will continue to offer a full range of holiday offers and work
closely with the Tourism team to support learner practice and assessment.
Courses offered under the Tourism umbrella include Travel and Tourism Diplomas at Levels 2 and 3,
Resort Representative, Preparation for Working in the Aviation Industry, Air Cabin Crew Training and
Airport Operations. Students may also undertake Travel and Tourism at AS and A2 levels. Over the
years our students have successfully gained employment in all areas of the industry ranging from
visitor attractions to holiday camps, travel agencies to cruise ships and airlines to tour operators.
A number of exciting educational trips are planned for the Tourism students this year including
residential visits based in Barcelona and Disneyland Paris as well as a trip to gain a fascinating insight
into life on board a luxury cruise ship.
We look forward to developing opportunities for all our CHAT students both in culinary and
geographical ways!
5
Young Seafood Chef of
the Year
This year has been another successful one in the field of culinary competitions.
In March, South Downs College was pleased to send two teams of Level 3 students to compete
against six other teams in the east England final of the Young Seafood Chef of the Year competition.
Both of the teams did extremely well - one team being declared the winners and the second team
gaining fourth place. The competitors’ challenge was to prepare, cook and present a three course
menu for six covers, one for judging, one for display and four to be served to invited VIPs.
The competition is described as a key industry contest that provides young chefs with a chance to
demonstrate their flair, understanding and skill using seafood that is sustainably sourced. It consists of
four regional heats in total from which two teams progressed to the Grand Final at the Grimsby
Institute in May. It is supported by some of the UK’s finest chefs who recognise the importance of
sustainable seafood, these include Tom Aikens, Mitch Tonks, Franck Pontais, Valentina Harris and Atul
Kochar.
The competition required the teams to use specific seafood species and certain products including
langoustines, live mussels and a product from Koppert Cress’ range of micro cresses in the first
course. The second course had to contain Grimsby smoked haddock and the third course a whole cod
or turbot to demonstrate the competitors’ filleting skills.
The winning team, Ruth Thackray and Tom Searson, and the second team, Matt Essery and Kit Lauder,
were all studying the Diploma in Professional Cookery programme. They were accompanied by Sean
Denny, their lecturer, who said: “I was extremely impressed with the students’ professional attitude,
mature outlook and most of all the quality of their work leading up to and throughout the
competition.”
Tom and Ruth performed extremely well at the Grand Final but just missed out on a place in the top
three.
6
Pennyhill Park 5* Afternoon Tea
raises money for charity
Over sixty guests enjoyed a real
5*Afternoon Tea experience in the
College Restaurant in April, all in the
name of charity.
The event, which was organised by the
Level 3 Pastry and Confectionery students,
raised money for the charity League of
Friends at Queen Alexandra Hospital.
The students were joined by Svet, top
Pastry Chef at Exclusive Hotel’s Pennyhill
Park Hotel and Spa.
A full afternoon tea menu was created,
including a range of finger sandwiches,
homemade strawberry jam scones and
chocolate and praline cake served
alongside a range of Asian and oriental
teas. The menu was accompanied by music
performed by the College’s string
ensemble.
The event was a great success and raised
£200.00 for the charity. Gerry Shurman,
Head of Catering, Hospitality and Travel,
said, “The afternoon tea was so successful
that we will be adding it to our existing
Restaurant programme. I am proud of our
students who arranged the event in their
own time around a busy study schedule.”
Thanks go to Exclusive Hotels for
sponsoring the event, providing both their
chef and ingredients for the day and to
Jongors Catering Equipment Hire for
providing the cake stands that beautifully
displayed the array of cakes.
7
Farewell to Gerry Shurman
An emotional Gerry making his farewell speech
A marzipan version of Gerry on his cake!
At the end of July Gerry Shurman, Head of Catering, Hospitality and Travel (CHAT) retired after 38
years at South Downs College.
The College gave him a fitting ‘send-off’ in the College Restaurant with a dinner produced and served by a
group of CHAT students and staff; the whole evening demonstrating the highest of standards - just as Gerry
had taught! Gerry was delighted to welcome some of his former students who had come to wish him well
and update everyone on their career progression.
Gerry had been teaching at South Downs College since 1975, helping the Catering and Hospitality
department to achieve the highest levels of recognition from industry and education practitioners. He was
highly respected by colleagues, staff and students because of his commitment to his art and the training of
young people. He often used his industry contacts to secure work experience for his students and in some
cases this led to a job straight after their training had finished.
Jacqui Smith, the new Head of Catering, Hospitality and Tourism said, “Gerry’s drive, charisma and passion for
the industry were evident in every project that he led, as well as in his everyday teaching and contact with
students.”
Gerry was a driving force behind the establishment of the College Restaurant which has won regional and
national awards including Restaurant Magazine’s College Restaurant of the Year and an AA Rosette - the
highest honour for a restaurant training facility.
Iain Baillie, Senior Catering Programme Manager at the College, said, “Gerry’s 38 years at South Downs
College educating countless Hospitality and Catering students had such an impact on so many lives it is
difficult to measure, but I am sure I can speak for many in both the Hospitality and Catering industry and
further education, when I say that he will be greatly missed. His relentless enthusiasm and wanting the very
best from and for his students has given so many life changing opportunities to so many.”
Gerry was also well-known for his charitable work. He led the Catering and Hospitality team that raised
£50,000 over a nine year period for Hospitality Action, with a series of Charity Banquets for the Ark
Foundation featuring dishes created by chefs such as Heston Blumenthal, Angela Hartnett, Marcus Wareing
and Phil Howard supported by our students. Gerry has even abseiled down a 15-storey building in full-black tie
for charity!
In March this year, he received the Lifetime Achievement award for services to Further Education from the
Professional Association for Catering Education.
Since his retirement Gerry has been playing golf and holidaying in Holland, Spain and Turkey. He continues to
be active in Catering and Hospitality education and will be completing some hospitality consultancy projects.
Although he will be sadly missed by South Downs College, we all wish him the very best in his much deserved
retirement. Our CHAT team will of course continue to live up to his high standards in customer service and
cuisine.
8
Allan Pickett, Guest Chef Lunch
On Wednesday 5 June, South Downs College Restaurant hosted Allan Pickett
from Plateau Restaurant in Canary Wharf for a delicious lunch prepared in a
classic French style, with a light and elegant contemporary twist.
Level 2 Diploma in Professional Cookery students assisted Allan in producing a three
course menu for sixty guests, which included Goosnargh chicken for main course and
popping candy in the dessert.
Allan learned the culinary ropes from Michel Roux Junior and Marco Pierre White. His first
stint at a D&D London restaurant was as Head Chef at Orrery in the West End of London,
where he retained a Michelin star before joining the Galvin Bistro de Luxe on Baker Street.
He joined Plateau as Head Chef in May 2010 where he has a regularly changing menu to
implement the freshest possible seasonal ingredients.
Allan was extremely complimentary about the skills and enthusiasm of the Level 2
students and he offered them the opportunity to spend a day’s work experience at
Plateau. As part of the partnership between South Downs College and D&D London
restaurants, Allan visits the College on a regular basis providing the students with
on-going support and inspiration for their future careers.
9
Christmas at South Downs College
Celebrate the
festive season in
style by dining in
the superb
environment
provided by the
College
Restaurant.
Our traditional
Christmas lunches
will be served every
weekday from
Monday 25
November to
Thursday 19
December 2013.
On arrival, guests
will be greeted with
a complimentary drink on arrival or our non-alcoholic ‘House Fruit Cup’. The festive menu
consists of four courses plus coffee; a choice of starter followed by soup and traditional
roast turkey with all the trimmings, a meat or vegetarian alternative served with seasonal
vegetables and rounded off with our homemade plum pudding and brandy sauce, mince
pie and coffee. The cost of this Christmas feast is £22.50 to include festively decorated
tables and a luxury cracker.
Our Fine Dining festive dinner is served Tuesday, Wednesday and *Thursday evenings from
Tuesday 26 November through to Thursday 19 December 2013.
Our seasonal dinner menu offers guests four gastronomic courses reflecting our fine
dining standard. The menu includes a festive cocktail on arrival and a choice from each
course. A complimentary range of coffees and teas are offered with mince pies and petit
fours for £28.50
*For those who prefer a more traditional four-course dinner, the Thursday menu is priced at £25.00
to include a complimentary cocktail on arrival, coffee, after dinner mints and a luxury cracker.
Whilst party bookings are welcomed, this may be restricted according to the table availability for the
day. In addition, large parties may be required to be seated in smaller groups.
Limited avaialbility remains for our Christmas period.
All bookings must be accompanied by a £10.00 per head non-refundable deposit paid within two
weeks of provisional reservation.
10
Turkish Cuisine
Comes to
South Downs
College
This November sees our first truly international Guest Chef
Dinner!
Catering, Hospitality and Tourism are forging links with the Culinary
Arts Academy of Istanbul under Executive Instructor Chef Cem Erol.
Cem visited South Downs College last November with a colleague
from City & Guilds to view our award winning College Restaurant,
our Catering department and to experience one of our guest chef
dinners first hand. Cem was so impressed that he offered the
Academy’s services to present an authentic Turkish dining experience
working with our Level 3 Food Service & Cookery students.
Cem Erol
Chefs from the Academy, Mürsit Göksüzoslu and Bilge Baser will be
coming to the College on Wednesday 27 November to work with the
students to produce and serve an authentic Turkish menu.
A three-course dinner, plus canapés and petits fours is £28.50. To
make a reservation please contact Kerry or Mary on 023 9279 7952.
Mürsit Göksüzoslu
Culinary Arts Academy of Istanbul
Bilge Baser
11
Nestlé Toque d’Or
Competition Final
On Tuesday 4 June, a team of students headed up to London for the finals of the
Toque d’Or competition run by Nestlé. The College team consisted of lecturer Paul
Mansfield and three students, Level 3 student Liam Benham, Level 3 BTEC student Jake
Benstead and Ollie Holgardo who has just started his Level 2 Craft Catering studies.
The ceremony to discover who would be crowned as winners of the Nestlé Toque d’Or 2013
was held at the Dorchester Hotel on Park Lane, London.
The team arrived early in the afternoon of a bright sunny day at the front of the Dorchester to
be greeted and escorted in by the Hotel’s Banqueting Manager. As they walked through La
Promenade, it was buzzing with an extremely busy afternoon tea service and a very
cosmopolitan style cocktail service.
The team were taken to one of the ballrooms where the award ceremony would be taking
place later that evening, for a full ‘dress rehearsal’ of the forthcoming proceedings.
During the afternoon the team was invited to a tour of The Dorchester’s kitchen which is
located over two floors with an escalator for staff between floors! The tour was topped off
with Champagne and canapés for all the competitors and accompanying lecturers.
The celebratory evening started with a Champagne reception followed by a delicious four
course meal for the three hundred guests. During the meal a film about the history of the
Nestlé Toque d’Or competition was shown.
After an excellent meal the compere then announced the
winners as South West College from Ireland - the first Irish
college to win the award. Anton Mosimann, the first ever
winner of Nestlé Toque d’Or, offered the 2013 25th
anniversary competition winners the unique opportunity to
spend three weeks working under his tutelage.
Although the South Downs College team were
disappointed not to carry the ultimate prize away, they all
agreed that the whole competition experience had been
an eye opening, challenging and extremely valuable one.
The team added that the Nestle Toque d’Or competition
management team had looked after them like VIPs
throughout the whole competition process; they all felt
they had advanced professionally and personally and now
had clear aspirations for their future careers within the
industry.
12
Looking at the London Scene!
Ten Level 3 Catering
students spent a day
in London visiting
top restaurants and
a new boutique
hotel to learn about
the opportunities
and life in one of the
world’s foremost
food capitals.
The visit took place due
3 South Place Bar & Grill
to the Catering and
Hospitality
department’s on-going
partnership with D&D London Restaurants. The visiting students were studying Professional
Cookery, Pastry and Confectionery or Restaurant Supervision and Leadership and they spent
the day visiting the company’s newest openings: Fish Market and New St Grill as well as the
New St Wine shop before a tour and lunch at D&D’s first accommodation project the South
Place Hotel.
In welcoming the students who were due to graduate at the end of June, Liz Cave HR
Manager, Talent & Development for D&D London Restaurants stated that, “as well as the
visits and opportunity for jobs with D&D London restaurants, the day will give a good insight
into the pace and atmosphere of living and working in modern London.”
During the tour the students were addressed by Allan Pickett, Executive Chef at the Plateau
Restaurant; Allan is a regular visitor and exponent of the College and was looking forward
to presenting a guest chef menu in the College Restaurant in June. Students also had the
chance to talk to ex-South Downs College student Perry Francis who is now employed by
D&D London Restaurants.
Without exception the students immensely enjoyed the experience and most now wish to
take up the opportunity under our partnership to spend a day involved in job shadowing
‘practical’ interviews.
In thanking D&D London restaurants for the day Gerry Shurman, Head of Catering
Hospitality and Travel who accompanied the group with Level 3 tutor, Sean Denny, stated
“I do not think I have participated in a visit where students are so totally engrossed in
everything they saw and heard. Without exception the students were immensely motivated
and excited by the opportunity to work with D&D London Restaurants, especially the
atmosphere and buzz of London and the friendliness and professionalism of everyone they
met.”
13
Students Take Over the
Langstone Hotel
May 2013 saw the third South Downs
College ‘take over’ of the 4 star Langstone
Hotel on Hayling Island. The event involved
40 Catering, Hospitality and Travel
students applying for a range of roles and
undergoing full interviews by the Hotel’s
management team. The takeover
embraced all aspects of the Hotel from full
management roles to food and beverage
production and service in the Brasserie
Restaurant as well as in the superb
function suites. Housekeeping, bar,
reception and fitness centre roles were also
part of the weekend project ensuring a
range of opportunities for all interested
students.
In previous years the Hotel staff have been
on hand to support the students, but this
year the number of staff was dramatically
reduced, leaving the students totally in
control. This gave the students a very real
experience as it proved to be one of the
busiest weekends of the year for the
Hotel.
Over the weekend the students welcomed 520 guests, served 1,750 covers and helped
the hotel to make over £38,000 in revenue.
“The students did so well,” said Clint Marsh, General Manager of the 148 bedroomed
hotel. “They were extremely professional and it was very difficult to tell them apart from
the hotel staff. The guests didn’t realise that the takeover had taken place.”
One guest, Lorraine High asked the Duty Manager if she could go into the kitchen to
congratulate the chefs for the quality of her meal. She was astounded to be told that the
kitchen had been run that evening by students. “I was totally amazed at the standard of
the food that we were served. Every aspect of the meal was first class and the service was
of the highest level.”
Jacqui Smith added “The weekend was an outstanding success and the students
demonstrated the highest level of professional and personal standards, with many
students working extra shifts to gain even more experience.”
14
Notable Dates
OCTOBER
Monday 28
Friday 1st - Half-term
NOVEMBER
Monday 4
Thursday 7
Thursday 14
Friday 15
Thursday 21
Friday 22
Monday 25
Wednesday 27
Term starts
Italian taster evening
Engineers Luncheon
Afternoon tea flight
PIGS Banquet.
Best of British taster evening
Springboard ‘Future Chef of the Year’ competition
Christmas Fayre commences
Turkish dinner
DECEMBER
Wednesday 4
Thursday 19
Friday 20
Engineers’ Christmas carvery
Last Christmas service
End of term
JANUARY 2014
Monday 6
Monday 13
Thursday 16
Term starts
Restaurant, Lounge Bar and Le Shop open
Engineers Luncheon
Afternoon tea flight
Best of British taster evening
Thursday 23 & 30 South American themed taster evening
FEBRUARY
Tuesday 4
Friday 7
Thursday 13
Mon 17 - Fri 21
Monday 24
Thursday 27
Open Evening
PIGS Banquet, no lunch. Lounge bar closes at 1.30pm
Engineers Luncheon
Afternoon tea flight
Thai taster evening
Half-term
Term commences
Thai taster evening
Please visit the restaurant website to keep you up to date on additional events and promotions
www.restaurant.southdowns.ac.uk or contact Kerry Mansfield on 023 9279 7952.
Follow us on Twitter @restaurant_sdc
15
!
Reservations
Our OpenTable reservations system is a computer based system used in many of the
world’s foremost restaurants, offering you an opportunity to book your table online.
We very much hope that the system will improve our reservations procedures and
benefit our guests.
Key features of the system are:
•
•
•
Booking by email via the Restaurant website www.restaurant.southdowns.ac.uk
Client recording to assist us in satisfying your reservation and dietary needs
Focused email and mail communication to ensure that you receive information on forthcoming events, promotions and theme menus
To assist us in maintaining our client database we would be grateful if you would fill in
the details below and send to Kerry Mansfield, Restaurant Manager, South Downs College,
College Road, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO7 8AA or bring with you on your next visit
to the College Restaurant. Thank you for your support.
Last name:
First name:
Address:
Postcode:
Telephone number: Email:
If you would like to receive our new Restaurant News, please tick here q
If you are already on our mailing list but have changed any of your contact
details, please fill in this form.
Please enter any additional information
(i.e. dietary requirements, allergies, wheelchair access)
---------------------------------------------------------Discount voucher
Purchase two hot or cold lunches in the Lounge Bar and receive the cheapest half price.
Valid from Monday 4 November - Thursday 19 December 2013.
Lunch served between 12noon - 1.30pm. To take advantage of this offer please book your table by contacting us on 023 9279 7952.
A community of excellence delivering
outstanding opportunities inspiring and
enabling all to fulfil their potential
South Downs College
College Road
Waterlooville
Hampshire
PO7 8AA
Telephone: 023 9279 7979
Facsimile: 023 9279 4630
Website: www.southdowns.ac.uk
Email: [email protected]
Principal: Lyn Surgeon
The South Downs College has charitable status
for the provision of Education and Training
Scan here or visit
http://bit.ly/SDCawards
to view the range of our
Awards and Successes