Carlisle College students design Cumbria Chamber event menu

The Power 40 event, hosted at the college, brought leaders of some of the county's influential businesses together to share information about recent developments in the education system - and to show off the talents of the college’s Catering & Hospitality students.

Students welcomed guests into the college's Oyster restaurant with a glass of prosecco.

Carlisle College's principal, Sarah McGrath, delivered the opening speech, and then the first course was served.

The students' menu featured traditional dishes with a Cumbrian twist, including pea soup with poached duck egg and Cumbrian ham, and Cumberland sausage with mashed potatoes and onion gravy as the main dish.

The Cumberland sausage was made from scratch, as was the freshly baked bread served with the soup.

After the first course, assistant principals Jack Redpath and Suzy Willings gave presentations on the new T-Level qualification and apprenticeships.

Vice principal Christian Thersby concluded with information on the college’s adult learning courses.

While the presenters held forth, the kitchen was busy with preparations for the dessert of sticky toffee pudding and ice cream followed by petit fours.

Kevin Warman, LSIP engagement manager at Cumbria Chamber of Commerce, said: "Our thanks to Carlisle College for hosting our latest Power 40 and for engaging with the business community around the different programmes, qualifications, and recruitment pathways on offer.

"I was so impressed by the students who served a fantastic meal and looked after us so well, some of whom were just in their second month of college having only started in September!

"It’s great to see students learning these culinary and customer service skills which are in such high demand in Cumbria’s hospitality sector."

At the end of the event, the students came out of the kitchen to discuss the evening's fare with the dinner guests, and to ask them how they had enjoyed their evening.