Fairlawns Head Chef serves up some tips on gourmet cooking

Walsall College’s Cookery students received a masterclass on preparing gourmet dishes, courtesy of Fairlawns Head Chef Christopher Morris.

Christopher, who began his career as a Hospitality and Catering student at Walsall College, visited our current students to pass on his industry know-how.

The Head Chef gave Level 3 students a demonstration on how to make two eye-catching gourmet dishes he prepares on a daily basis at Fairlawns Hotel and Spa.

Students were shown how to prepare venison loin and guinea fowl, both served with gourmet extras including poached pear, smoked lentils, and quail egg.

Equipped with the skills they developed from previous lessons, students were tasked to create their own gourmet dishes and to use their creativity to make them unique. They were encouraged to maintain texture in their dishes, whilst balancing the acidity and the sweetness within the overall flavour.

Christopher tasted the dishes towards the end of the masterclass, and gave feedback on ways students can improve as part of their professional development.

Having studied Levels 1, 2 and 3 in Hospitality and Catering finishing in 2014, Christopher has worked in a variety of restaurants and pubs to develop his culinary skills.

His career began when he undertook a one-week placement at Fairlawns as part of his course. The managing team were so impressed with his abilities, they employed him on a full-time basis as a Commis Chef.

After a year and a half, he left Fairlawns to pursue other avenues at Edgbaston Boutique Hotel and a local pub in his hometown of Shenstone, where he learned to work at a faster pace. Christopher returned to Fairlawns and was soon promoted to Head Chef. Keen to share his skills and experience, Christopher is currently training students from Walsall College.

Commenting on the masterclass, Christopher said, “It was great to return to Walsall College to deliver a masterclass. It enabled me to pass on the knowledge I have accumulated throughout my career to the next generation of chefs.

“The students did really well during the masterclass and have real potential to build promising careers as professional chefs. They are enthusiastic, talented and committed to learn – important traits to have in order to build a career in any field.”

David Higgins, Curriculum Manager for Hospitality and Catering at Walsall College, said: “This was a great opportunity for students to test their catering skills against industry standards and receive advice from professionals currently working in the sector.

“Our students will be going out on work experience placements as part of their course, so sessions like these are very valuable in helping them to develop their skills and prepare for real working environments.”

Walsall College offer a number of Hospitality and Catering courses, from Professional Cookery to Hospitality and Events. To find out more, take a look at our V6 Couse Guide, which can be picked up from either of the college’s campuses or downloaded online.

For more information about enrolling on a course at Walsall College, please call 01922 657000.

If you’re interested in running a masterclass with us, please contact Walsall College on businesstrainingsolutions@walsallcollege.co.uk