PROFESSIONAL chefs Idris Caldora and Michael Bullard helped students prepare and serve a mouthwatering five-course dinner to a host of guests at Maidenhill School last night.

The pair guided pupils through each course in the school’s fully equipped catering department before a separate waiting team served the meals as part of their GCSE hospitality and catering studies.

Among the invited guests enjoying the evening’s culinary treats was head teacher Gary Watson, county councillor Lesley Williams, Stonehouse mayor Mattie Ross and most of the student’s parents.

As members of the prestigious Academy of Culinary Arts, the chef’s visit was part of the association’s ‘adopt a school scheme’, which gives catering students the opportunity to experience commercial cooking in a restaurant environment.

Prior to the guest’s arrival, the students prepared a selection of Italian breads for the first course, while the front-of-house team were put through their paces by DT technician Lesley Rams, who has many years experience in the hospitality industry.

See next week’s SNJ for more on this story.