Motherwell College trainee chefs team up with Gordon Ramsay

Nov 12 2009 by Shirley Bartynek, Hamilton Advertiser

SEVEN budding trainee chefs were selected to work alongside multi Michelin Star TV chef Gordon Ramsay.

The seven catering students at Motherwell College included, Uddingston’s Martin Campbell, Claire McDade and Thomas Paterson, both of Hamilton, Gillian McManus of Lanark and Julie Ingram of Carluke.

They worked with Gordon’s team for two days culminating in a sensational Gala Dinner for 250 guests paying £500 per head, in aid of the Scottish Spina Bifida Association, for which Ramsay is the Honorary Patron.

The pressure was definitely on in the kitchen as the students supported three of Scotland's top award winning chefs personally selected by Gordon (Willie Pike MBE, Joe Queen and Steven Doherty) to prepare a mouth-watering six-course gastronomic feast to Gordon Ramsay’s exacting standards. The chefs used the finest locally-sourced food and game, and to add an extra element of excitement diners were able to watch in anticipation, as their delicious meal was prepared, via a live link.

The dinner was held in the Glasgow Science Centre.

The trainee chefs are used to working in professional kitchens as Motherwell College has several state of the art professional kitchens and runs a highly successful training restaurant, which is open to the public.

However none have ever experienced anything on this scale before.

Speaking about the opportunity the students were given, Motherwell College Principal and Chief Executive Hugh Logan said: “This was a once in a lifetime experience for any budding chef. It really is the thing dreams are made of. It is a great honour for the college and our students to be involved in such a fantastic event under the eagle eye of Gordon Ramsay.

He continued: “I am delighted that Motherwell College’s reputation has reached the attention of such high calibre chefs. I know the students worked exceptionally hard over the two days supporting Gordon and his team and demonstrated dedication and professionalism in the kitchen in order to help bring this amazing six-course feast together”.

The students found Gordon “really nice” and he told them that the food they prepared was “excellent”.

The seven students were joined in the kitchen on the night by their course lecturer Jim Mullen, who helped to oversee their work as well as keeping them cool, calm and collected.