French catering students got a taste of Scottish hospitality when they visited Forth Valley College’s Stirling Campus recently.
A total of 10 students and two lecturers from Rabelais Catering High School in Caen, Normandy were on a 10 day trip which forms the first leg of a joint collaboration which will see Forth Valley college Hospitality students and staff visit their school in October this year.
The visit was funded and organised by the Charles de Gaulle Trust which was set up to enable groups of young people aged 17 to 19 from the UK and France to work together on joint projects. The Charles de Gaulle Trust supports collaboration between the UK and France through education partnerships that offer young people an international and intercultural experience.
The group had a busy schedule during their stay including: Theme menu planning, Seasonality and costing of menus, molecular gastronomy demonstrations, gallery kitchen and bakery workshops, as well as site visits to quality local restaurants and resorts such as Monachyle Mhor, Gleneagles and Cromlix House.
Nadege Le –Bouder an English teacher with the party, said:
“It has been great and all the students have been enjoying it so far. We received a very warm welcome and we are all very impressed with the campus environment.
“It is exciting for us to be building links with Forth Valley College and our students are enjoying speaking English and finding out about working abroad. Workshops such as the ones we have been experiencing here at the Stirling Campus are very important as the students can compere different systems and ways of doing things and listening to and watching chefs like Martin in action, is very enriching for them.”
Hospitality Operations Manager at FVC, Aiveen Cassidy, said:
“It has been a pleasure to host the students and teachers from Rabelais Catering High School in the first leg of this exchange visit initiative. The feedback we have had so far from them has been very positive and we are delighted they have benefited so much from their trip. We can’t wait to go and visit them in October and hope to build on this important educational link in the future.”