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Six new apprentices, aged 16 to 18, have been appointed and undergone their induction to a new apprentice academy, launched by Sodexo Live! and Michelin-starred chef Raymond Blanc OBE in February 2022.
The Sodexo Live! academy with Raymond Blanc was set up with the aim of discovering, fostering, and launching the next generation of chefs from the greater London area into rewarding careers in the kitchen.
To support the recruitment process, a welcome day was held in July, at which the apprentices and their parents met executive chefs and mentors from Sodexo Live! The event was hosted at Bateaux London, the company’s river cruise dining experience. Here, they discussed their favourite foods, their reasons and drivers for wanting to become chefs, and their future goals.
The successful six apprentices then attended an induction day at the St Luke’s Community Centre, South Islington in September. During the day they spent time with Sodexo Live! Executive Chefs Emeline Gibert and Alessandro Soro, and their chef training team from hospitality training and apprenticeships provider, HIT Training.
The Sodexo Live! Academy with Raymond Blanc is a structured culinary programme that will give the six apprentices the chance to achieve either a Commis Chef Level 2 or Level 3 Chef de Partie qualification.
The Academy will provide the apprentices with the opportunity to take part in major events, such as the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and Royal Ascot, as well as join the rotation around four Sodexo Live! London venues including the Royal Academy of Arts, the Wallace Collection, RAF Museum at Hendon, and Bateaux London.
The programme also involves a two-month stagiaire placement at Raymond Blanc’s acclaimed hotel and restaurant in Oxfordshire, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, a Belmond Hotel. This stint will enable the apprentices the opportunity to develop their skills in fine dining.
Throughout the stagiaire placement, the apprentices will stay close to Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons. They will have access to a mentor on-site and the assistance of the Sodexo early careers team for additional support throughout.
Upon completion of the Academy, apprentices will be eligible for permanent culinary roles within Sodexo Live!
Ben Dutson, Food Innovation Director, Sodexo Live! said: “The Sodexo Live! Academy is a great reminder of what it’s like to enter this amazing industry at the start of your career and think how unattainable things like fine dining and cooking for tens of thousands of people, including senior royals, at iconic events like Royal Ascot seem in those early days.
“We want to spread the word about the fantastic experiences and opportunities available at Sodexo Live!, and we’re hoping that this course will inspire the apprentices to pursue rewarding careers in the kitchen.”
Rebecca Kane Burton, CEO Sodexo Live!, UK and Ireland added: “Sodexo is passionate about developing people through apprenticeships, and we are delighted to welcome these six apprentices. What a phenomenal opportunity – thanks to Raymond’s incredible support – the apprentices will get a unique chance to work alongside a highly respected chef. They’ll also see first-hand the amazing career opportunities we can offer them in Sodexo Live! within an array of hospitality services including sport, events and cultural venues.
“Globally Sodexo Live! has around 250 people training within our teams, and every year Ecole Lenotre in Paris welcomes some 1,000 students from all over the world. Engaging and developing new talent is something Sodexo Live! is committed to because it is all about building the future of our industry.”
While some personnel are finally returning to the office – the great majority of organisations (up to 83 per cent) anticipate a hybrid mix of on-premises and working from home to continue for the foreseeable future.
This means that when it comes to providing access to the workplace, where once it was simply enough to maintain a welcoming reception for visitors, organisations today must also keep a close eye on access permissions in real-time to keep buildings safe and secure while ensuring they comply with compliance.
Pitney Bowes Smart Access Management in association with FMJ has produced a new White Paper which explains how to create a welcoming, actively managed environment for authorised people.
It explains how new Smart Access Management™ (SAM) delivers a complete, real-time and data-driven view of all your people, visitors and contractors, to help give you greater control and visibility.
To download the white paper click here.
