From creating a dish from scratch to serving it to a paying customer, training as a chef is about much more than what happens in the kitchen. This International Chefs Day, discover how students at NKC Tonbridge College are building the skills, confidence and creativity for a career in hospitality.
Every year on 20 October, International Chefs Day celebrates chefs and the culinary profession while highlighting the importance of inspiring and educating the next generation. For aspiring chefs and hospitality industry workers studying at NKC Tonbridge College, it is an important part of their course.
Learning to think like a chef
Professional cookery is a hands-on career, and students at NKC Tonbridge College get plenty of opportunities to put their learning into practice.
The College's Hospitality and Catering courses offers professional chef courses, with students developing practical skills alongside their knowledge of food preparation, cooking techniques, kitchen operations and professional standards. The College’s own restaurant, The View Restaurant, gives students the chance to experience what it is like to work in a professional hospitality environment. And this is where things get really interesting!
Step inside The View Restaurant
Located on the third floor of NKC Tonbridge College, The View Restaurant is a working student-led restaurant serving members of the public.
Students are involved in the whole experience, from preparing and cooking food in the kitchen to delivering professional front-of-house service. They work under the supervision of experienced catering professionals, helping them develop the confidence and attention to detail needed in the hospitality industry.
The restaurant serves seasonal menus and hosts special themed evenings, giving students the opportunity to work with different styles of food and service. The setting itself is special too, with panoramic views right across the Kent countryside – and it even regularly tops the list of local restaurants on TripAdvisor!
It's a very different experience from simply practising a recipe in a classroom.
From the kitchen to a career
A career as a chef can take many different forms. Students might go on to work in restaurants, hotels, events, catering companies or other hospitality settings, developing their skills and specialising as their careers progress.
International Chefs Day is a great reminder of the people behind the food we enjoy, but also of the importance of passing knowledge and skills on to the next generation.
At NKC Tonbridge College, students get to start that journey in a real working restaurant, learning from experienced professionals and developing the practical skills needed to turn a passion for food into a career.
Ready to explore a career in professional cookery?
Find out more about Hospitality and Catering courses at NKC Tonbridge College and discover where a career in the kitchen could take you.