Zetland Court Chef Manager trains with esteemed Chef Marcus Wareing

Stowell Barry, Chef Manager at Zetland Court, in Bournemouth, was recently selected to take part in a cutting-edge culinary training programme in collaboration with esteemed Chef Marcus Wareing. This is alongside a Senior Culinary Chef Level 4 Apprenticeship.

The programme, ‘Forward with Marcus Wareing,’ is one of the first hospitality courses to include a dedicated module on sustainability. In addition to honing culinary skills, the programme looks at the commercial side of the business, creating a more diverse kitchen team in terms of social mobility, gender and ethnicity, as well as developing mental first aider skills and mentoring of leadership styles.

Zetland Court’s Chef Manager Stowell Barry remembers a valuable lesson from this training course:

Marcus always said to all 15 of us apprentices: ‘Work well as a team but, as an individual, always stand out and strive to exceed all expectations.’

Regarding the advantages of this learning experience, Chef Marcus Wareing said:

This cutting-edge culinary training programme was designed to build skills, grow knowledge and expand imagination. Candidates were able to explore every aspect of the modern kitchen, from culture to commerce, question assumptions and challenge conventions with guidance from myself.

To become part of the first cohort, Stowell, along with dozens of other chefs, had to undergo a rigorous and fair selection process. This included being interviewed by a panel of judges (headed up by Marcus Wareing himself) where he had to elaborate on how the training course would support his skills development. This will further enhance the home-from-home dining experience that residents enjoy at Zetland Court.

Chef Manager Stowell Barry rolls the dough to prepare one of his delicious meals at Zetland Court, in Bournemouth.

This culinary programme was arranged by Compass Group UK & Ireland, parent company of White Oaks, which teamed up with Zetland Court to provide enhanced catering services to the Home’s residents and staff.

Jonathan Foot, Head of Apprenticeships and Early Careers at Compass Group UK & Ireland, says:

This is part of Compass’ commitment to support development at every stage of our people’s careers. ‘Forward with Marcus Wareing’ looks beyond cooking techniques to the realities of the climate crisis and food system. It is all about future-proofing our chefs and forging a new generation of industry leaders.

[Summary: Stowell Barry, Chef Manager at Zetland Court, in Bournemouth, was selected to take part in a culinary training programme in collaboration with esteemed Chef Marcus Wareing. This is alongside a Senior Culinary Chef Level 4 Apprenticeship.]