A SOUTHAMPTON college's catering students hosted two "fine dining" events for Secondary School students.

City College Southampton’s hospitality and catering students put on the events, catering for all of Cantell School’s Year 8 students and the event aimed to provide the school students with a unique group experience of formal dining - something many had not experienced before.

The event also benefited City College students as they had to plan and design the two-course menu, providing a range of textures and tastes which would meet, or be easily adapted to meet, everyone’s dietary requirements, and all within a set budget.

They also gained further hands-on experience from setting up the event, laying the tables, preparing and cooking the food, in addition to serving the meals to over two hundred young people.

One of the trainee chefs, Owen Barker, said: “It’s been very fast-paced and pressurised in the kitchen to turn around so many covers in such a short timeframe, but the teamwork has been excellent and our training and hard work has really paid off.”

Some Cantell School students also had the opportunity to be shown around the College’s professional training kitchens enabling them to see behind the scenes of the dining experience.

Luke Wilson, Head of Co-Curricular Activities at Cantell School, said: “The Fine Dining Experience is designed to allow our students to develop an understanding of good table etiquette and the knowledge of what to do at a formal dinner setting.

"Students are sat in random groups, with guidance questions as prompts for good conversation to allow students to develop important social skills which we believe are so important. This is just one of the many different exceptional experiences that Cantell School offers.

"It is great to have returned to City College again this year, thank you to Simon and his team and of course the college students who have worked very hard to provide this exceptional experience for our students!”