A career in catering is as fruitful as engineering - says Gloucestershire College in response to TV judge Oliver Peyton In light of restaurateur and TV judge Oliver Peyton’s recent comments about chef education being “at crisis point”, Gloucestershire College, the county’s leading Catering and Hospitality School, is reaching out to young people to tell them that a career in this industry is indeed achievable, rewarding and lifelong.

Speaking to The Caterer, the Peyton and Byrne owner and Great British Menu judge said that hospitality isn’t being taken seriously enough by parents, teachers and the government.

In response, Gloucestershire College’s Head of School for Catering, Gareth Crwys-Williams, said: “This is an industry I am passionate about; an industry that has given me everything. It is growing rapidly and offering so much to so many.

“I have spoken to many food teachers, lecturers, chefs, landlords and hospitality managers, and we all feel the same and understand why Oliver Peyton feels this way. Why is there a dearth of managers coming through the industry?”

While the catering industry has exploded over the past few years, thanks to the popularity of celebrity chefs and cookery programmes such as the Great British Bake Off and Masterchef, this isn’t being reflected in the number of young people choosing hospitality as a career.

Gareth added: “We need to attract the best into the catering industry and cannot survive without skilled and trained managers. We see very few people knocking on our door wanting to become hospitality managers.

“Hospitality is a lifelong career. A career on par with engineering or accountancy, where there are clear progression paths leading to management. We want to convince the ‘academic’ young people, and especially their parents, that A Levels and university are not the only routes to a successful and rewarding career.”

Gloucestershire College offers a diverse range of Catering and Hospitality courses, which provide students with plenty of real-world experience and lead to successful careers as managers and chefs at some of the finest restaurants and venues across the UK, including Claridge’s, Chez Roux, The Fat Duck and The Ritz. Courses include the Diploma in Food and Beverage Service; Diploma in Professional Cookery; Hospitality; Hospitality BTEC; and Hospitality Supervision and Leadership – with apprenticeships available for students to ‘earn while they learn’ too.

Plus, there’s still time for aspiring chefs to apply for the GC Express Level 2 Professional Cookery Diploma, which starts on Monday 3rd November. Out of the College’s commercially-run restaurants, this intensive three-month course trains students how to prepare a variety of food to professional standards. For more information about Catering and Hospitality courses at Gloucestershire College, visit gloscol.ac.uk or call Student Services on 0845 155 2020.