Welcome to the School of Catering and Food Production web site. I hope this will give you a sense not just of the range of provision and services offered by the College but also of Blackpool's friendly, lively atmosphere and supportive approach.

Many people who have studied in the School of Catering and Food Production would say that it's the staff who make the School special. We have a reputation for being friendly and welcoming to people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities, offering an equality of opportunity for all. We pride ourselves on helping to build the confidence of all our students. So don't just rely on the web site; if you would like to visit the College or speak to someone about the opportunities and support we could offer you, please get in touch.

Achievements

The highlight of an extraordinarily successful year for the School was surely a visit by celebrity chef Ainsley Harriott to present at our end-of-year awards ceremony, held this year at Blackpool Football Club. Ainsley is the latest in a long line of famous chefs to be associated with the College, following visits in recent years by Gordon Ramsay, Brian Turner, James Martin, Michael Quinn and James Tanner. The School’s brush with fame also extended to the sporting world when in April staff and students received the honour of being invited to help cater at the nation’s Grand National.

Competition activity continued in order to enrich learning and provide students with a unique opportunity to advance their skills. Level 3 student Tony Bee won the prestigious TUCO Chef of the Year competition, normally the preserve of professional university chefs, was opened to catering students for the first time. Other notable successes included: 13 Gold Medals at the National Bakery Competition; 2 Gold Medals at the UK Skills Championship (Regional and National); UK Champions for the Nestlé top Toque D’Or Crown; UK Finalist for Young’s Seafood Championship.

Industrial and Community Links

The period saw us retain excellent partnerships with organisations such as Fox’s Biscuits, Woodhead, Asda, Heinz, Whitbreads, Sleepwell Hotels and Blackpool Football Club. In addition, we became one of just four centres across the UK to deliver training for supermarket chain Morrisons. The Rural Payments Agency also joined our clientele when it appointed the School to undertake training for 16 of its inspectors.

Community links remained strong during the period. As part of the Every Child Matters initiative, the School partnered with Blackpool Connexions to deliver taster training. Another project focused around Blackpool Council’s quest to raise culinary standards throughout the resort and tasked Level 3 students with creating a unique ‘Blackpool breakfast’ that will set the standard for the town’s hotels. The Salvation Army Bridge Project meanwhile, designed to upskill those in need of a new start and in which the School is heavily involved, proved so successful that talks are now underway with a view to rolling it out across other parts of the UK.

“It’s a privilege to be asked to present these awards; the College has some tremendous catering students and it’s marvellous to see them achieving great results.”
Ainsley Harriott, chef and TV presenter