TWO culinary students from a Warrington college have shown that they have the recipe for success after being hired by two of the country’s leading Michelin Star restaurants.
Alex Pendelbury, aged 17 is the newest recruit to celebrity chef Lisa Allen’s kitchen staff at her Michelin Star restaurant, North Cote Manor, in Blackburn. Lisa has been seen on TV competing in BBC2’s The Great British Menu for the honour of cooking for Prince Charles in a Royal Banquet. Alex completed a VRQ Level 2 in Professional Cookery at Warrington Collegiate and had previously shown his talent as a regional finalist in the last 2 year’s Future Chef competitions.
Alex (pictured) was invited to complete a weekend trial at North Cote Manor and impressed Lisa with his tasty delivery of her menu. He has since been hired as a commis chef and has been working to serve up contemporary British cuisine.
Meanwhile his 23-year-old classmate Charlotte Duncan has also secured a job at Michelin Star restaurant Angelique, based in Dartmouth. Her culinary skills were noticed by head chef Alan Murchison while she competed in the Toque D’Or competition where she completed cookery demonstrations creating delicious and carefully crafted plates. Charlotte was subsequently offered a position at the restaurant and she was recently promoted to Restaurant Angelique’s Head of Pastry and her strong patisserie skills are fast making her a rising star in the culinary world.
On being hired to work at North Cote Manor, Alex Pendelbury said: “I love cooking and it’s an honour to be hired by a chef like Lisa Allen and work in a professional kitchen with a creative head chef.
“It was pretty nerve racking doing the trial but I’m really pleased that Lisa saw my potential. Getting this opportunity has been incredible and I couldn’t have done it without the support from my mentors at Warrington Collegiate.”
Lecturer Claire Lowbridge, said: “We are very proud of what our students have accomplished. Both Charlotte and Alex have shown such joy and enthusiasm for their work and they really deserve the success.
“They have both worked very hard and we look forward to having them back at the college to do some talks and demonstrations and to inspire the next generation of students on the course.”
