College's new kitchen could produce next top chefs

James Ashworth, 19, and Sophie Wilkinson, 18, are two of the students benefitting from the almost £1m that has been spent on the new facilities

A new facility to train hospitality workers of the future has been officially unveiled.

Nearly £1m has been spent on the new Scholars Kitchen and Scholars Restaurant at Blackburn College and it is hoped it could provide the Michelin star chefs of the future.

Dr Fazal Dad, principal, said: "This investment is about ensuring that we can train current and future hospitality sector individuals to be job ready."

The facility includes a new restaurant, two kitchens, a cafe, which are all staffed by the students - from front of house to the trainee chefs.

Michelin starred chef Lisa Goodwin-Allen says the new facility is amazing

The money has come from the Local Skills Improvement Fund and the college's own investment.

David Lyon, tutor and head chef at Scholars, welcomed the investment adding: "The hospitality industry has been decimated and my job is to get these students into paid employment and the only way we can do that is by replicating what's out there in real life."

Two of the students currently studying at the college, James Ashworth, 19, and Sophie Wilkinson, 18, are both finalists in the hospitality awards at the annual Marketing Lancashire Awards and have worked in Michelin star kitchens.

James said: "I was recently offered a job at Moor Hall in Liverpool, so I am planning on going there after I've finished this course."

Sophie added she hoped to own her own restaurant in the future.

Michelin star chef Lisa Goodwin-Allen of nearby Northcote, who is an ambassador to the college and officially opened the facility, said: "It's very hard to recruit good staff nowadays and the hospitality sector in particular has had a hard time.

"Just having an amazing kitchen and equipment to work on gives them great encouragement to enter the industry."