Students took part in a special seminar with speakers from the Burnt Chef Project, focused on raising awareness of mental health issues in the hospitality industry.

The weekly Graduate Advantage seminars are designed to help students look forward and plan their future careers, making the most of their time at the University. They cover all aspects of career guidance, including interviews, CVs, and networking.

This session gave students guidance on how to challenge stigma and address mental health difficulties in themselves and others.

In the wake of World Mental Health Day, three ambassadors from the Burnt Chef Project spoke to assembled students about their own experiences of stress and mental health issues in the industry, and what can be done to address them.

Launched in May 2019, the Project aims to eradicate mental health stigma in the hospitality industry by providing education, support, and resources to employers and staff. It also offers an Employee Assistance Programme that includes counselling for hospitality staff anywhere across the globe as well as peer support, e-learning, and mentorship.

From humble beginnings, the Project now has more than 240 ambassadors working across the world, as far afield as Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

The session encompassed an interactive discussion with students covering all aspects of mental health – from definitions, to causes of poor mental health, how people are affected differently, and finally advice, stress-busting tools, and self-care tips.

Angelina Adamo, an ambassador who also runs her own successful catering business in the West Midlands having previously studied at University College Birmingham, told the students: “I’ve worked everywhere from burger bars to Michelin-starred restaurants. We all know that the job is often really full-on, but this doesn’t mean we have to accept poor mental health.”

“Once I started running my own business and dealing with other, large employers, I wanted to help show them how support in the hospitality industry should really be. This is why I got involved in the Burnt Chef Project,” she said.

Matt Loughrey, lead ambassador for the West Midlands, has worked in hospitality as a hotel manager for several years. He was keen to emphasise that the impression people in the industry project does not necessarily reflect how they are really feeling: "It’s so important for us to all learn to spot the signs in each other, and for employers to be proactive in addressing any issues their staff may have,” he told the students.

“The more open we are, the more we learn, and the better we can help each other and ourselves.”