Renowned chef Monica Galetti recognised shining talent at BaxterStorey’s Chef Academy Graduation this week. A group of 27 chefs celebrated their completion of the hospitality provider’s dedicated Academy, which includes Commis Chef, Chef de Partie and Senior Chef qualifications.
The ceremony, which was attended by over 100 guests including BaxterStorey’s Chef Consultants Monica Galetti and John Campbell, was an opportunity for the chefs to reflect on their achievements during the Chef Academy experience. Ten individuals were also praised for their exceptional work during the course and dedication to teaching, scooping awards in categories including most improved chef, trainer of the year and chef of the year.
Rik Razza, head of chef development at BaxterStorey, said: “The Chef Academy provides our developing chefs with a unique platform to diversify their skill set, learn from experts in the field and get a taste for the variety of locations that BaxterStorey operates within. The past 12 months has seen some fantastic achievements from a group of exceptional chefs and I for one am excited to see how they use this experience to further themselves within our business.
John Hicks, chef trainer at BaxterStorey, said: “Each year the chef development team works hard to ensure that we are giving our chefs the best learning experiences to support their career. From spending time with our regional suppliers and working alongside some of the country’s finest chefs to learning how to effectively run a kitchen, the Chef Academy is a unique and creative learning programme that enables BaxterStorey chefs to become the best that they can be.”
2017 winners
Chef of the year
Level 1 – Gareth Hawkin
Level 2 – Jack O’Donovan
Level 3.1 – Craig Hedley
Level 3.2 – Steve Wren
Most improved
Level 1 – Tracy Taylor
Level 2 – Filipe Dias
Trainer of the Year
Level 1 – Lee Butler
Level 2 – Hayden Groves
Spirit of the trainer award
Devon Wright
Spirit of the academy
Marcel Dobak