Nadean Moses (36) studied at Carshalton College for two years as a Catering Apprentice. She is now working full time for The Wisley golf club in Ripley and has ambitious plans for the future in pursuing her passion for cooking.

After attending Art College and working in various jobs, Nadean decided it was time to follow her dreams and focus on a catering career. Inspired by her mum’s cooking, experimenting at home and watching chefs like Gordon Ramsey, Nadean got a job as a chef at The Wisley golf club. The Head Chef, Sam Peschier, recommended Carshalton College as the ideal place to study an Apprenticeship. This course suited Nadean’s situation enabling her to learn a new career, developing skills while earning money to support her paying bills.

The NVQ Diploma Level 2 in Professional Cookery Apprenticeship provided two different experiences of learning in College and in a workplace which complimented each other. Nadean found she was taking to work knowledge she was learning at Carshalton and embracing the chance to experience the Head Chef role with preparing dinners at the College’s in house restaurant Nightingales. Nadean also found the written work at College helped develop her English skills in writing menus and the descriptive break down of preparing dishes.

The Wisley caters for lunches, dinners and functions and can be a 9 to 11 hour day on the go from preparation to delivering the orders as fast as possible. Nadean enjoys the big functions such as weddings with set menus and a conveyor belt of food being prepared and sent out.

The long days can be tiring and involve heated conversations between the team to get everything done but Nadean says the satisfaction of being complimented for the food and praised for a dish makes it all worthwhile and is the drive to get into the kitchen.

For anyone interested in a catering career, Nadean feels an Apprenticeship is a good start “You learn so much at both College and in the workplace. I have catered for a friend’s birthday party since starting work and found I had the confidence to do this from what I had learnt. You think outside the box and learn additional knowledge like spending less on food shopping and wasting less of the food you buy. It is long hours but working in a kitchen is like working in a family. College really helped develop my knowledge and provides the chance to ask questions. I didn’t think I would have the opportunity to learn as much or enjoy this work so much.”

Tom Hall, Curriculum Manager for the catering and hospitality courses at Carshalton College, led Nadean’s course. Nadean took advantage of learning from Tom’s experience as Head Chef and Senior Sous-Chef at top London restaurants including ‘The Bleeding Heart’ and ‘The Ivy’ and the different style of teaching compared to the Head Chef at The Wisley.

Tom said “Nadean progressed from Level 2 to Level 3 NVQ Apprenticeship and applied herself at College and in the workplace gaining the relevant experience to move forward. A team player within the group, she was always willing to take on new challengesand proved herself in the workplace.”

Assessor Sandra Marshall added “As Nadean’s Level 2 assessor I always found going to see Nadean at The Wisley a pleasure. She always did he best in work based assessments and had good support from Head Chef Sam Peschier.”

Nadean’s future plans including progression in the catering industry, writing her own cookbook and is interested in working in TV on cookery programmes.

Please visit www.carshalton.ac.uk for more information on our Full Time Catering Courses and Apprenticeships.

Based on information supplied by Maxine Alexander.