WILTSHIRE College hosted a networking lunch in their Wessex Restaurant for the Salisbury and District Chamber of Commerce and Industry staff for the second year running.

Catering and travel and tourism students were able to put many of the skills learned on their course into practice as they catered for 35 business men and women during the Chamber’s 90 minute networking lunch for May.

The Level 1 and 2 catering students offered diners a choice of lamb tagine with Moroccan spiced couscous, Thai fish cakes with lime mayonnaise and seasonal vegetables or roasted Mediterranean vegetables with harissa followed by an assiette of desserts.

Travel and tourism students were responsible for everything front of house, including welcoming guests, and serving lunch.

Amanda Foster, who is one of Chamber’s directors’ visited the students ahead of the event to explain more about what it does and what the 90 minute lunch would involve.

Acting Principal Amanda Burnside was a guest speaker on the day as well as Business Development Director David Murley and gave an update about the College and discussed the importance of working with local businesses to meet their needs and those of the local economy.

The day was organised by hospitality lecturer Richard Powell and catering technician Sheena Cobb.

She said: “They all worked really hard and professionally both front of house and in the kitchen.

“The overall comments were very good, people being impressed with the standard of food and the brilliant service.

“It is valuable to host events such as this so that the students get an insight into catering on a larger scale with time restrictions.

“They have 90 minutes from the guests entering the restaurant to serve two courses.

“It was also very good for the College as a whole as there were people from 32 businesses around Salisbury attend and a lot of people enquired about the Wessex restaurant which is very positive.”

Amanda Foster, who is a Vice President for the Chamber, said it the students were a “credit to themselves and the College”.

She said: “It is reassuring that the future of Salisbury is being built by such a lovely group of students.

“Chamber members were efficiently met, booked in and directed to the restaurant by the Travel and Tourism students and engaged in conversations.

“I chatted with some of the students ahead of the lunch and afterwards got the catering students out of the kitchen to be thanked.

“They definitely stepped up to the mark and went beyond that.

“Everyone needs encouragement and if the Chamber can help with that then we are extremely pleased to be involved.”