Leicester College training kitchen re-opens after £100,000 redesign and refurbishment

Enables a first-class learning experience for around 200 catering and hospitality students per year

Leicester College has formally re-opened one of its training kitchens at the Freemen’s Park campus. The kitchen has undergone a major redesign and refurbishment project, part-funded by £100,000 from the Savoy Educational Trust, to equip them with industry standard equipment and teaching tools for existing and future catering students.

The kitchen, which is used by around 200 students across 14 hospitality and catering programmes, have been updated with modern, industry-level equipment and improved ventilation, and flooring. Access controls and a networked smart screen have also been installed to enhance the teaching and learning experience.

The improvements will also help the College to engage more students onto its hospitality and catering courses and offer higher level CPD provision to those already working in the industry. It will also allow for student competitions, development days and product demonstrations to be hosted in the new kitchens to maximise their use.

The new kitchen was designed by HK Projects and manufactured by Welbilt.

Angela Maher, Chief Executive of the Savoy Educational Trust, said: “The Trust is committed to supporting the education of those wishing to pursue a career in the UK hospitality industry. Ensuring students have the appropriate equipment and facilities to develop the skills required for employment in today’s dynamic industry is a critical part of their development. We are very much looking forward to attending the opening of the new facilities at Leicester College and seeing the difference our grant will make for their learners.”

Nicky Randall, Programme Area Manager in Hospitality at Leicester College, said: “With support from the Savoy Educational Trust, we are delighted to reopen our newly-refurbished training kitchens. We look forward to an enhanced teaching experience for our students, equipping them with the skills and training that they will need to have a successful career in the industry.

“The collaboration between the designers at HK Projects and the Manufacturing team at Welbilt was instrumental in ensuring the seamless and punctual execution of the project, whilst also ensuring that both the design and equipment precisely catered to our requirements.”

As a leading provider of hospitality and catering qualifications in the East Midlands, Leicester College gives aspiring culinary students high-quality training to meet future sector demands, preparing them for a smooth transition into the catering industry by working in professional kitchens, including Leicester College’s award-winning Taste Restaurant. Find out more about Leicester College’s Catering and Hospitality courses.