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The Umbrella Training Culinary School, which launches this month, will be based at Lakefield Hospitality College in London, and will host a series of apprenticeship clubs and masterclasses where aspiring chefs can develop their skills and knowledge alongside a 12-month apprenticeship programme.
There will be day courses on practical kitchen skills as well as menu design, and forward-thinking theoretical courses to support tomorrow’s leaders. Masterclasses delivered by industry experts and culinary activities will include learning about diverse menus from around the world, street food, sustainability, the ‘farm to fork’ philosophy, how to design vegan menus, including visits to Billingsgate Market and others.
Apprentices will be invited by their Umbrella learning consultant to attend and will also be sent on short courses, ranging from knife handling skills to cooking a three-course meal from scratch.
In month 10 of their apprenticeship programme, there will also be the opportunity for apprentices to take part in a co-funded, three-day trip to France to study different cooking methods and recap for their end point assessment.
There will be places for 10-15 apprentices per session, which will also involve peer-to-peer reviews and industry experts on-hand to offer learning support, career guidance and advice, and mentorship.
By the summer, the new Level 4 Senior Culinary Chef course, developed for senior chefs seeking development in empathetic and executive leadership skills, will be launched.
Umbrella’s senior learning consultants, led by Spencer Westcott and Will Braggins, will oversee the school. The courses will enable Umbrella to offer a further return on investment to its business partners, with the aim of closing the skills gap in the hospitality industry, and adding value to apprentices’ curriculum by offering them educational experiences that sit outside of it.
Umbrella Training, CEO, Adele Oxberry, said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Lakefield College to launch the Umbrella Training Cookery School, having already enjoyed a long-standing relationship with them.
“We’ve made a substantial investment to develop this school, which will help apprentices build their confidence, skills and knowledge by offering them ready access to industry experts, engaging masterclasses, and exposure to creative and diverse cooking.”
Andrew Green, CEO, Craft Guild of Chefs said: “We all know the hospitality industry is desperate for staff, particularly chefs, and it’s vital that the industry invests in chef development, from new entrants to the industry all the way up to executive level. We are delighted to see organisations like Umbrella taking these steps. This cookery school will help the industry retain chefs by upskilling them and allowing them the opportunity to get creative in a professional kitchen environment.“
