December 2024
Bumper roundup: Gongs, glory and giving back at Birmingham College of Food
By Melanie Hall
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As Christmas calls and we close the kitchen doors on 2024, we celebrate the latest achievements of our one and only Birmingham College of Food.
Since our last roundup, we've seen our students grace our telly screens again, putting into practice incredible skills in some of the toughest competitions out there. Some only just leaving their teens behind, they have all made us super proud as we've watched on from the edge of our seats. Our students have made hospitality halls of fame, created mind-blowing dishes to raise thousands for charity and built award-winning businesses, while we also celebrate chefs who've made their mark on those who train with us.
Here’s our roundup of what our college of food has been up to:
Jordan and Evan (Jevan!) impress on MasterChef
It's always fantastic to see alumni flying the flag for our college of food on MasterChef: The Professionals.
This series, we got to watch graduate Jordan, a Birmingham-born and bred junior sous chef who had his big break at The Ritz in London, and Evan, a former chef apprentice, both make the quarter-finals. What an incredible experience for this pair of culinary powerhouses - only just 20 years old!
Many previous MasterChef contestants have returned to Birmingham College of Food to talk to current students about their journeys and share their words of wisdom.
Mighty Max makes city hospitality hall of fame
One of our chef graduates scooped 'Best Newcomer' at Birmingham Hospitality Association's first annual awards.
Methus 'Max' Sawangseang, who graduated from our Professional Chef foundation degree in 2023, received the recognition for his work at the Belfry Hotel & Resort. There, he is renowned among colleagues for his organised nature and team spirit and is integral to the dishes created in the two AA Rosette Ryder Grill restaurant. We couldn't be prouder to have helped lay the foundations of his career.
Fab four on Bake Off: The Professionals
If you watched Bake Off: The Professionals this year, you'll have seen not just one team of ex-Birmingham College of Food students, but two. Ajay and Petra from Adam’s, and Bharat and John from SOKO Patisserie, all studied under our brilliant chef lecturers, so it's no wonder they rose through the challenge of their own heats to reach the final six.
Petra won Young Pastry Chef of the Year 2023 after being mentored by teammate Ajay. Bharat and John, meanwhile, competed in the second heat of Bake Off, with Bharat having previously been a finalist in the competition.
Iconic chefs work with students for charity
This autumn, we saw two iconic Brummie chefs work with first year Culinary Arts Management students to create an unforgettable six-course charity dinner for 90 VIP guests.
Dan Lee, an alumnus and winner of MasterChef: The Professionals 2021, teamed up with Alex Claridge, head chef and owner of The Wilderness in Birmingham, who featured on the Great British Menu, to bring the event to life. Their efforts only went and raised £27,000 for Acorns Children's Hospice, providing support to life-limited children and their families.
Baker Broome sweeps up at business awards
Bakery graduate Eleanor Broome scooped not just one, but two awards at a prestigious ceremony showcasing excellence in business across Northamptonshire.
Eleanor, who graduated from Birmingham College of Food with a first class honours degree in Bakery and Patisserie Technology, began running her business, Els Bakes, from her parents’ home. What a motivational story it's been so far.
Fun-gi all round on International Chefs Day
We often hear chefs talking about the importance of eating healthily. But the wonderful thing about this year's International Chefs Day was that it focused on seasoned chefs giving younger chefs advice on how best to eat to meet the unique demands of their career.
To mark the occasion, our Professional Chef degree students whipped up mushroom - or fungi - dishes from a recipe provided by Worldchefs, with their creations being shared online to help inspire more young chefs.
Legendary chefs honoured by university
At our graduation ceremonies in September, we were proud to present two leading chefs who have had an enormous impact on our students with Honorary Fellowships.
Firstly, chef lecturer Anthony Wright, who trained hundreds of student chefs over a career at the University spanning three decades. Then, Aktar Islam, a Brummie chef who holds two Michelin stars for his restaurant, Opheem, and is a fervent supporter of bringing on the next generation.
University College Birmingham is a leading provider of specialist training for the food and hospitality industries, with students learning in our award-winning training restaurant and industry-standard kitchen facilities, as well as having a wealth of opportunities to put their skills to the test in prestigious national and international competitions.
Discover our full range of courses within our Birmingham College of Food.
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