The culinary journey

Christmas at Cegin Sir Gâr is always a fully-booked and popular event of the year for the catering and hospitality team under the guidance of tutors and chefs Peter Ware and Dan Williams.

They work as a team to achieve all preparation and service to a high standard, working with students on all three levels of qualification, from level one to those honing their skills ready for industry at level three. 

When planning begins

Mid-September, the level three students start planning the final Christmas menu, just before half term begins. 

Preparation starts two weeks before service, making sure everything needed is in the kitchen, with some food prep being done within a week, but most things are completed the Monday before Wednesday service.

The culinary community

Under the guidance of their tutors, every single crew member in Cegin Sir Gâr is training, but the key to working together and executing an efficient service is using a mix of students on each level.

Students work together and support each other, with level threes taking the lead, level twos ready to step up, and level ones mastering the foundational techniques that underpin all kitchen operations.

Using as much local produce where possible, the more complex preparation is for the range of main courses offered. Whilst desserts are important in presentation and taste, they can be prepped sooner in the day.

A sample from the menu included whipped goats cheese mousse, beetroot garnish, hazelnut crumb to start, roast Carmarthenshire turkey, herb and onion stuffing, sausage and bacon roll, cranberry sauce, jus roti as a main and profiteroles filled with Barti rum pastry cream, caramel toffee sauce to finish. 

Peter’s Top Tips for Christmas Day 

• Planning ahead is key, don’t leave anything last minute as you’ll just add stress to your day. Prepping vegetables and stuffing the day before will ensure a more seamless and enjoyable day.
• Avoid dry or undercooked turkey, get your timings prepared in advance.  Cover in bacon for an additional touch. 
• Add a glass of mulled wine to your gravy.
• There’s nothing worse than a mountain of dishes to face; keep on top of the washing-up as you go along as it helps to keep your working area clean and organised too.

It’s not just about the food, it’s about the experience and the customer service

Whilst the kitchen operations are managed by Peter this Christmas, the hospitality side is equally as important.

The kitchen and front of house must work together to provide a seamless service. 

We asked Dawn how hospitality is managed and planned for the Christmas service

We focus on key fine-dining skills, which are appropriate to the level of learners, as we have mixed groups ranging from foundation learners through to more experienced level three learners. They are given tasks to meet their course requirements, such as table setting, table layout, plate carrying, cocktail skills, wine service, and meal timing. 

We aim to offer a warm and professional customer service. Students also need to demonstrate these skills for a range of assessments during this period, so they need to gain as much practice in real service conditions as possible. 

We encourage students to take on part-time jobs in the industry to support their studies and to improve their grades. 

We hold a pre-service briefing to review the menu, timings, allergens, and roles. Clear communication at the pass keeps service smooth, and front of house staff keep the pace based on the guest’s pace.  This teamwork not only ensures seamless service but helps students meet their practical assessment requirements.

This teamwork not only ensures seamless service but helps students meet their practical assessment requirements.

Each service begins with a focused briefing on menu details, timings, allergens, and job roles. Clear communication at the pass and attentive pacing from the front-of-house team ensure a seamless, guest-led dining experience. Dawn Williams, Lecturer in Hospitality 

What are the biggest challenges for hospitality skills for students, and how do you overcome them?

The biggest challenges are confidence under pressure, students turning up for service in correct uniforms, sickness, and making sure there is strong communication between kitchen and front-of-house staff as well as completing assessments alongside the busy Christmas service. 

We support learners with as many practical lessons as possible to get them ready for service, clear communication protocols, with close monitoring of learners by the restaurant tutors, so they build skills while still meeting assessment deadlines.

Dawn Williams - Lecturer in Catering and Hospitality

Dawn gained her qualifications whilst working in the industry, where she started as a server and progressed to a managerial role. She has worked in bars, clubs, restaurants and hotels. 

She believes that catering goes beyond just serving food; it creates experiences and fosters connections and friendships. 

Peter Ware - Lecturer in Professional Cookery

Peter has been a catering lecturer across colleges in Wales and has worked in universities and colleges in countries such as Jamaica and the Bahamas. Some of his professional experience includes working as head pastry chef at the The Ritz Hotel in London, and as an owner and manager of Cacique Catering in the Bahamas. 

He says that professional cookery can be very rewarding in a way other professions struggle to match. He also says and has proved that you can go anywhere in the world. Peter believes a career in catering will always have long-term employment opportunities.

Catering and hospitality courses provide an excellent opportunity to develop real-world skills to begin your journey into the workplace. Many of our learners enhance their professional cookery and food and beverage studies by taking on part-time roles within the hospitality industry.