Two Level 3 Professional Cookery students have secured prestigious work experience placements at the Marriot Grosvenor Hotel.
Our Employability team approached their contact at the hotel to source work experience and Head Chef Graeme Campbell was happy to offer paid placements for two students to work on zero hours contracts for two days a week.
Students Ed Mills and Tyrell Washington were both nominated for the opportunity and attended an interview with Graeme. They were immediately employed as paid commis chefs by the Marriott and this work will be used as their industry work placement of 45-days.
The students are part of a team of chefs at the Marriott Hotel often catering for large prestigious events. Ed recently had to prepare and count 300 spring onions where he utilised his mathematical skills and ensured the onions met the Marriot’s high standard of quality.
Head Chef Graeme also mentioned the possibility that these students could go on to be offered full-time positions at the end of their course.
Both students expressed their delight at being offered this opportunity.
Ed says: “Any ordinary chef would have to work extremely hard for a number of years before even getting considered to work somewhere like The Marriott Hotel, and Merton College have got me here based on word of mouth. That means a great deal. Having the opportunity to learn and experience what goes on in an award- winning hotel kitchen is priceless. I shall carry it with me for the rest of my life.”
Tyrell says: “For my level 3 professional cookery course I was allocated to the Marriott Grosvenor House Hotel. I thought “wow”. I went for an interview with one of my peers with the head chef. I was quite nervous. I was offered a 0 hours contract with the Marriott and I now work there as a commis chef. I am able to use this work for my industry work placement, so I am really pleased. It’s hard work but I am learning loads. I am grateful to be working in such a high-end hotel.”
