The happy and warm atmosphere at the event was testimony to the close relationships that we have developed with all our sponsors and partners – in some cases, over many decades.
The slick and professional lunchtime service was led by the students: and individual courses provided a platform for showing off their culinary expertise whilst paying homage to the sponsors and showcasing leading-edge products. An innovative new food source, Plancton Marino, made its debut in one of two fish courses. The meat dish allowed guests to sample 21-day dry aged loin of English Rose Veal provided by Buitelaar, whilst the light dessert nodded in appreciation to chocolate suppliers, Callebaut. And everything was accompanied by wines from Bodegas Riojanas.
We are also grateful to: the Shellfish Association of Great Britain, who provided the starter course; Castillo de Canena, who provided olive oils; Pedrino(aperitif drinks); Seafood from Norway (cod fish course); Gallo Rice (risotto rice); Koppert Cress (micro herbs); Marriages Flours (flour for our breads); Cinco Jotas (Jamon and Jamon Carver); and Churchill China, who supplies all our plates. From source to kitchen, and kitchen to plate, the success of this event was down to partnerships – not only between sponsors and the college, but also between our highly skilled staff and dedicated students.
Each year around 260 students graduate from our School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts, to join the more than four and a half million people already employed in the UK’s hospitality sector. With heightened food awareness, a plethora of cooking related TV shows and the culture of the celebrity chef, the industry is booming; so it’s little wonder that young people want a piece of the pie. For companies operating in the food and food services industry, building relationships early on with young chefs as they start their careers, is key for developing long-term brand loyalty. For example, Gary Hunter, Deputy Principal of Westminster Kingsway College, first started using chocolate products from Callebaut in his student days and decades on, he remains faithful to the brand. Callebaut have been long term sponsors of the School, demonstrating a reciprocal working relationship that has been nurtured and invested in.
As Gary explains: “Being a sponsor gives the company exposure, and helps them raise awareness of them and their products among our students. Every year, dozens of our students leave us to work in top-quality hotels and restaurants, so generating awareness and loyalty makes perfect sense for these companies.
“Colleges rely on these partnerships too. Further Education has seen the biggest cuts in the education sector over last 25 years and the simple truth is that centres such as our School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts could not maintain our world-renowned status without the sustained input that we enjoy from our partners. We value our sponsors’ support very highly and it’s our pleasure to host a special dinner for them every year at the college.”
If you are a company that supplies food or catering products and would like to sponsor or partner with our School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts, please contact Jose Souto on 07803 002 185 or jose.souto@westking.ac.uk
Our School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts has over 70 partners, suppliers and supporters, including: