Care South Chefs Serve Up Summer Flavours For Dorset’s Catering Talent
Dorset’s catering talent got to sharpen their skills as Care South’s chefs led a hands-on masterclass celebrating fresh, seasonal produce.
Mark Wardman, Catering Operations Manager at Care South, and Patrick Fensterseifer, Executive Chef, led a workshop focusing on seasonal fruit with trainees from The CRUMBS Project in their fully-equipped training kitchen in Bournemouth.
Dishes prepared during the session, which were selected from Care South’s care home menus, included duck with blackberry sauce and dauphinoise potatoes, a summer fruit roulade, and berry cheesecake pots.
The CRUMBS Project empowers adults with disabilities, neurodivergences, or mental health conditions by providing hospitality-based ‘training for independence’ that creates pathways to employment and inclusion.
Lana, who is a trainee at The CRUMBS Project, said: “I particularly liked making the cheesecake pots. I liked the look of them and was pleased with the end result.”
Luca, who is also training at the project, said: “I enjoyed helping to make the roulade, including rolling it out. I also helped to make the cheesecakes and thought the duck tasted really good.”
Mark and two other Care South chefs ran a bread-baking masterclass at The CRUMBS Project earlier this year with the aim of passing on their skills and knowledge to the next generation of chefs. Care South also employs some former trainees from The CRUMBS Project who support some of the Dorset-based homes in a variety of different roles.
Lee Whalley, Head of Operations at The CRUMBS Project, said: “It was a pleasure to welcome Mark back into the kitchen, this time assisted by Patrick, to expand the experience our trainees have as they move towards the world of work. The kitchen was a hive of activity, with everyone getting involved and putting their new skills into practice. We’re incredibly grateful to Mark and Patrick for sharing their time, expertise and encouragement with our trainee chefs.”
Mark Wardman, Catering Operations Manager at Care South, said: “Seeing the enthusiasm and creativity of the trainees throughout the session was fantastic. The masterclass gave us a great opportunity to showcase how we use fresh, seasonal ingredients to create delicious, nutritious meals for our residents, while helping the trainees develop their practical skills and confidence in the kitchen. It’s rewarding to see their confidence grow, and we hope they will take those new-found skills into future training and employment.”
Last year, The CRUMBS Project received a donation of £2,915 from Care South’s Community Fund to purchase tablet computers for trainees and laptops for professional trainers to use to enhance their learning and progression into volunteering and employment. The Community Fund gives back to community groups, services and organisations which directly benefit Care South’s care home residents, care at home clients or staff.
