Council pilot in-house Chefs Academy

The City of Edinburgh Council is running a pilot scheme this year to train existing staff and skill them up for promotion.

The Chefs Academy involves a year long course learning about aspects of the job such as knife skills, sauce cookery and bakery. The participants also visit suppliers to find out first hand about the food the council is buying.

The council has also partnered with Food For Life allowing learning in food hygiene and health and safety aspects of being a chef.

The six budding chefs have thoroughly enjoyed the programme and have commented on how much more equipped they are to move up the organisation.

Chris Ross, Catering Operations Manager, said: “We are delighted to see the progress being made by this pilot, our people are the most important component to continuing to develop sustainable catering services. The trainees have thoroughly enjoyed the process so far and we have some real future stars.”

Joanne and Pamela who are taking part in the Academy added that they’re “having lots of fun, learning lots and enjoying working with colleagues from other kitchens”.