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“A Passion to Inspire “

Upskill Day – City of Glasgow College

November 2022

What a culinary Adventure – Great Lecturers and teachers supporting and going the extra mile to Inspire their Students through College and School - a new way of Inspiring - learning – sharing and on the day we had over 200 students and lecturers with us on site and 28 colleges online and all Schools connected to Springboard/ Future Chef – online over 3,600 – watching a fantastic Culinary Journey. 

Planning forward please do not think you have missed it – it is live on YouTube (sound is better when watched on laptops and mobile devices) – so as a learning curve you have the recipes and video – and watch fantastic learning sessions not just with Students and Lecturers but Employers – the great thing about Hospitality is you NEVER stop learning and we all need to be Inspired Passion to Inspire - Upskill Day Glasgow - Video  

One of the great things about all the Chefs cooking and tasting today is that they are all different with their creative skills which is the brilliant thing about our industry. Everyone with us on the day – both in the room and online, had their taste buds and imagination taken to a new level. 

This shows how wonderful hospitality is as there is no limit to what you can achieve. 

Great chefs came together who are  stunning and inspiring people creating and cooking, Rupert Rowley – Vicky Endersen Great journey to the use of Stunning products making Great produce – Graeme Cheevers – wonderful Scottish produce – Scallops- Crabs and the main culinary journey through his Michelin star restaurant – Dan Ashmore – a wonderful experience taking all involved through fermentation with Mara Seaweed – with Venison – and a stunning dessert with such depth of textures – smell and flavour – Then The Culinary Legend Willie Pike – just setting the whole place alight with his skills of blowing and pulling sugar – so proud to have put on such a great experience for all – and remember please share the recipes with your students and Inspire them  -   and giving up their time to inspire the students and lecturers – the adventure was all about where, why and how they created their brilliant dishes and to tap into their imagination’.  Whilst they created their dishes, we had the privilege of having Murray Chapman also discussing the importance of taste and texture and the students career paths. As the Chefs were plating and discussing the Creative journey of their dishes– adding another level of experience, great IT support from Lewis Ross and Murray Lothian and their Team and of Course the star May Donald and The City of Glasgow College. 

One very special Guest joined us to take all involved on 2 Scottish food journeys – so proud it was Dean Banks – and took all through why Blackthorn Salt and Mara Seaweed are such highly respected Products – and best use within the dishes that Dean and Dan create – and so very kind of them Whirly and Clare – brought presents for all students – Lecturers and Guests – Brilliant!! 

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Magical and Inspirational Competitions for 2023 as discussed  

Zest Quest Asia 2023 

UK Young Restaurant Team of the Year  

Young Pastry Chef 2023 - will be released in the next few weeks  

The event had magical support from brilliant producers, Stunning Produce, Great suppliers - thank you all so very much – Springboard/ Future Chef, The Craft Guild of Chefs, Russums, MSK Academy / Ingredients, Grande Cuisine Academy, Blackthorn Sea Salt, Mara Seaweed, The Master Chefs of Great Britain, City of Glasgow College 

When you have Inspired and had a Wonderful day – with Great friends – it is always Magic to hear from the people involved and those Inspired by the adventure! 

Willie Pike -Culinary Legend  

“We work in the worlds greatest profession, unfortunately the future talent of our Industry (our Students) have suffered through the restrictions caused by the pandemic, its fabulous to be here today to help inspire the next generation x “ 

May Donald Associate Dean - Culinary Arts & Bakery 

 

“Delighted to have welcomed Scotland's colleges Professional Cookery students on campus for a fantastic culinary journey. This delivered at city of Glasgow college had a stunning line up of talent who provided inspiration and enthusiasm to the future chefs who were sitting in the audience of 200 upcoming chefs in the making “ 

Amanda McDade - Springboard -National Head of careers and Education  

“Events like “A Passion to Inspire – Upskill Day” are essential to help us spread the word of what an exciting and vibrant career option being a chef is.  It not only is an event which showcases some of our very best chefs we have in Scotland, but it enables them to share their skills and knowledge and experience to the future generation of young chefs.  It is a day to ignite passion for cooking and to inspire young people’s career choices” 

Colin Macleod from Edinburgh College “Congratulations to both the winner and the runner up for Springboard / Future Chef young chef of the year competition  

Steve Hobbs – Grande Cuisine Academy  

“Great event to be at and part of - fabulous culinary presentations and a pleasure to be able to interact with Chef Lectures and student chefs.  It’s great to see such enthusiasm from the next generation and wanting to develop their skills, which hopefully we can all help with”  

Link to their fantastic online video’s - Grande Cuisine Academy - Videos  

Rupert Rowley- Development Chef MSK Ingredients  

“We had a great day in Glasgow, it is fantastic to be involved in inspiring the next generation of chefs” Link to MSK Academy - Virtual Kitchen  

Dan Ashmore – Group Executive Chef – Dean Banks Restaurants Dean Banks 

“I’ve been watching Murray from afar in the years since he started passion to inspire, it was an absolute honour to be asked to join such highly regarded chefs such as Graeme and Willie, and of course Rupert and Vicky from MSK who I’ve known since I was starting my own journey in Rupert’s kitchen. 

To have the opportunity to inspire so many keen students and spark a fire that I myself felt thanks to my own college lectures, Mick Burke, Len Unwin and Neil Taylor was something I thoroughly enjoyed and can’t wait to do again, if Murray will have me of course” 

Graeme Cheevers – Chef Patron – UNALOME 

“A wonderful day – working with brilliant Scottish Ingredients and showcasing some great dishes from our Michelin Star restaurant – and meeting so many Inspirational lecturers and students – and have the winner of Springboard/ Future Chef Tasting my food !!- it was magic to be involved – thank you “  

Graeme Watson - Vice Chairman of MCGB 

“For those of us who have been in the industry a long time there is nothing more important that inspiring the next generation to realise what a fantastic industry this is and the incredible opportunities hospitality has to offer. And no one does more to inspire them than Murray and the team at “Passion to Inspire” with this fabulous event in Glasgow being the most recent example. Congratulations and well done to all involved” 

Media Students from City of Glasgow College – All Students need to need Inspired  

David McKinney - Curriculum Head, Media 

“Murray, it was a pleasure for us as well, and such a good event. Your infectious enthusiasm rubs off on everyone - so well done for a cracking day. “ 

Clare Dean – Brand and Marketing Manager Mara Seaweed  

“Mara Seaweed were delighted to support the Passion to Inspire event held at Glasgow City College this week. It was a fantastic opportunity to support young and enthusiastic minds build key skills and knowledge around Mara’s range of Seaweed based ingredients. Used every day in the Eastern hemisphere, but often misunderstood in the Western world, Mara’s range is incredibly nutritious, full of umami flavour and a climate positive sustainable crop, an incredible future food to support the fantastic future of our culinary industry. Students continued learning of our food systems and sustainable ingredients that can support them in the right way is vital to the ongoing success of the UK hospitality sector” 

 

 

Whirly – Owner - Blackthorn Sea Salt  

 “A brilliant day of learning not only was it was a true privilege to share the story and taste of Blackthorn Salt with so many students, but it was exciting to see such dedication of time and effort by chefs Dan Ashmore, Graeme Cheevers, Rupert Rowley and Willie Pike literally igniting energy, interest and hope for the future in hospitality. Thank you so much to Murray and his team – we came away inspired, it was such an impressive event and the students were great, engaged and inspired for sure “ 

Helen Vass – South Lanarkshire College  

“It was a privilege to bring students from South Lanarkshire College to “A PASSION TO INSPIRE” where they had a unique opportunity to see and meet chefs who are at the top of their game and network with students from other colleges. What a day!”. 

Marie McCuaig- Student - “It was a great day, very informative with great resources for learning. There were a lot of interesting chefs with different ideas which will impact on our education and future careers”. 

Gerard Mcmenemy – Dundee and Angus Arbroath Campus  

" Fantastic day showcasing all that’s good about the hospitality industry " 

Brian Stillwell (level 3 culinary student) “I thought the day was very informative and exciting to see all the different sciences and techniques of cooking “ 

 

Euan Currie - Ayrshire College 

The day was more than worthwhile for students and lecturers alike. Many students only have their lecturers and those around them as a resource and, to have a day like this for students does more than inspire. It gives them an insight of the talent that is in our hospitality industry and how they use the produce available to them with the greatest respect to it. Our students left ‘buzzing’ for lack of a better word. As a lecturer to hear heavyweights of our industry echo the same ethos that we have as lecturers and try to instil in our students is reassuring and comforting for us. The only negative thing I would have to say is that we couldn’t bring every student and it was a limited few albeit there was the live stream, we just don’t have ‘smellovision’ yet. As an event, it could inspire any student, some students need more than others and this day would certainly deliver that in spades. 

Boyd Stewart – Edinburgh College and Students  

“The whole day focused on inspiring the young talent of the future and I would like to say what a great event this is becoming, an unmissable date in the calendar, long may it continue.”  

 

Students  

 

Laura Wilson “Willie Pike was amazing. Funny guy, made it look exciting and fun”  

Kris Mooney “the sugar work was enjoyable to watch him make the fruit sugar work including making strawberry moulds” 

​Aleksandra Tracz “sugar guy was amazing and had amazing skills “ 

​Justine Mcpherson “Willie Pike was my favourite part of yesterday, he made it look so good and enjoyable, would love to learn this kind of work “ 

​Renata Viachirevaite “Very impressive sugar work by Willie Pike, noticeably took years of experience to master “ 

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