Catering students take over hotel kitchen for culinary battle

Sunderland College students recently staged a takeover at Washington’s Holiday Inn and went head to head in a culinary battle.

The catering students split into teams of two, to compete in creating their own three course menus under the watchful eye of the hotels head chef. The takeover helped to raise £160 in total for the Holiday Inn’s chosen charities.

Sunderland College Curriculum Manager for Hospitality, Tourism and Engagement, said:

“We were really pleased to help support local charities and give the students an opportunity to see inside a different type of kitchen to any they’d seen or worked in before. They all put in a lot of effort to prepare for the event and so hearing such positive feedback from the diners made it all worthwhile.”

Not only did the students have to create their own menus, but they had to work out costings, prepare the food and take over the professional kitchen at the Holiday Inn, cooking for a restaurant of people.

The experience was invaluable to students who gained a real insight into the inner workings of a professional kitchen, which stands them in great stead when they come to the end of their course at the college.