Latest Reid Kerr News
Reid Kerr Schools Student wins STV's Cooking Compeition
Gryffe High Pupil and Reid Kerr College Cookery student Craig Hawthorn was recently crowned winner of STV's cooking competition Chef's Apprentice. Selected from thousands of entries, Craig went head to head with another three finalists before he claimed the title and exclusive prize of working with one of Scotland's top Executive Chefs - Jeff Bland of The Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh.
Inspired by his family and with a passion for cooking, the 17 year old student from Houston returned to school in August last year and was delighted to get the opportunity to attend College as part of his 6th year. Craig enrolled for the Higher Professional Cookery at Reid Kerr and currently works with chefs from Reid Kerr College, two afternoons per week training for his final exams in June this year.
Craig said, "Winning this competition has been an amazing experience packed with lots of different experiences. When I started as a competitor I had already been at College for a couple of months and the training there stood me in good stead for the challenges I faced every week. The formal training at College has included learning about sauces and a range of basic cooking skills which really helped me at competition level."
"The course at Reid Kerr is fast paced with the added pressure to produce professionally cooked dishes in a specific time. This also helped in the Chef's Apprentice as I was required to work to an equally fast pace to complete the challenges set by the competition."
Craig's lecturer at College, George Lorimer was thrilled to find out that Craig was involved in the competition. He said, "I worked as a chef's apprentice in the Central Hotel Glasgow many years ago, and the senior chef that I worked for was also Jeff Bland. Craig is a very deserving winner of this competition and this marks a fantastic start to his chosen career by impressing top chefs and being under pressure from the television cameras. Craig is well on target to pass his course at College and is a very enthusiastic student."
Craig says overall the competition was a great experience and he claims one of the highlights was his mentoring session with award winning French chef Jean-Christophe Novelli. "I have always been a keen follower of the most famous chefs and it was a dream to work with such a talented master in the kitchen."
Craig's inspiring 3-course menu wowed the judges Steven Docherty, Manager of The Cook School at Braehead Foods in Kilmarnock, Scottish chef and food writer Sue Lawrence and Jeff Bland, Executive Chef at The Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh. Craig's prize will be to carry out a two week apprenticeship with Jeff Bland working alongside the Michelin star award winning chef.
With goals that include becoming a top chef and restaurateur, he will begin applying for jobs in London later this year, and is eager to take up work in one of the country's best known cities for fine dining. He hopes that his recent experiences will help him achieve an introduction to what is a very tough and highly competitive business.
