Hobart and University College Birmingham team up for new culinary school

Hobart and University College Birmingham (UCB) have once again partnered, opening a unique new culinary school.

Set in Chelmsley Wood, one of Birmingham’s most economically deprived areas, the Chelmsley Starters site provides completely free training to young people and adults from the local area.  

Offering a platform for level one learners to gain vital experience within a realistic working environment, the state-of-the-art kitchen, featuring brand new equipment donated by Hobart, is situated within the confines of the local shopping centre and doubles up as The Bluebell Wood eatery. Each day, under the watchful eyes of UCB lecturers, students cook for scores of hungry shoppers, providing them with the opportunity to gain employment, apprenticeships, or continue their food education at the main UCB culinary site in central Birmingham.

A host of local dignitaries, UCB officials and Hobart’s Cooking Product Manager John Stewart attended the opening on 5 December. Work on the site has been years in the making however, with Hobart agreeing to support UCB and its ambitions early on. The new kitchen features some of Hobart’s latest cooking innovations including the powerful new Chef’sCombi and MaestroFlex horizontal range, alongside new warewashers, including its latest undercounter with Cutlery Premium functionality that saves time by making manual polishing obsolete.  

A fortnight before opening, Hobart also arranged an enrichment session for the students, with Michelin-starred chef, Lisa Goodwin-Allen putting them and the new equipment through their paces.

Interim head of department and chef lecturer at UCB, Adam Pickett, has been instrumental in the partnership commented: “The new Chelmsley Wood site is all about opportunity – something that young people in this area don’t always get. But here, we give them the platform to be able to move into the world of hospitality and gastronomy – propelling them to learn and achieve in this fantastic industry. This is something that Hobart just ‘gets’ – having their equipment here in situ gives the students the chance to work with state-of-the-art kit, the best of the best. It’s a fantastic collaboration, and one that we're very proud of.

“For fledgling students to be able to work with chefs like Lisa who have climbed their way to the top echelons of the hospitality world and hold Michelin stars, it’s absolutely invaluable; an experience that I believe they'll never forget and hopefully a person whose achievements they will one day look to emulate.”

Hobart MD Scott Duncan, added: “If the thriving learning environment of the original Bonnet kitchen, situated at UCB’s main campus, was the first chapter in our partnership with the UK’s most respected culinary college, then the Chelmsley Wood project represents a proud continuation of our journey together. This is a site like no other, offering young people their first taste of the industry we love and the chance to experience pure cooking pleasure on equipment that can help bring their passion and flair to life. As soon as we saw UCB’s vision, we were all in. The chance to offer support, mentorship and opportunities to young people looking to make their mark in hospitality is – and will always be – one of our foremost priorities.”