Students from South Thames College will be helping out chefs when they take to the stage at Hotelympia as part of The Staff Canteen Live 2016 - Skillery, next month.
The chef line-up boasts 20 Michelin stars between them and the budding young chefs will have the opportunity to work with some of the best chefs in the country.
The line-up for TSCLive currently consists of renowned chefs such as owner of the Hand and Flowers, Tom Kerridge, Angela Hartnett owner of Murano and owner and head chef of the two Michelin star Hibiscus restaurant, Claude Bosi, plus many more.
The students will be on hand to provide chefs with everything they may need from help with pre-set up to supplying extra ingredients. Not only will it give the students involved something to add to their CV but it will also give them a glimpse into what it’s really like working alongside chefs who are at the top of their game.
Steve Cannell, Head of the Hospitality and Catering Academy at South Thames College, said: “It’s obviously a major coup having our students working with some of the best chefs in the industry who usually snap them up to go work with them after they’ve seen them perform.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity for students to work under pressure in a live arena. It hones their skills and gets them out there to meet people and to get noticed. It gets them to think on their feet and work productively." The students will get the chance to meet and greet upcoming chefs as well as more established 
names in the industry on arrival. As it's imperative the students can cope with the high demands and pressures during the event, 10-12 students will be selected based on their skills and personality traits.
Steve said: “Students are picked by looking at the criteria and the demand of what they will be doing. Not only do they have to have good skills but they also have to have a bit of self-confidence about them.
"We look at level two or level three students and those that have previously worked with us on external events and are used to working under pressure.”
South Thames College’s Hospitality and Catering Department was built in 2013 to support the demands of the London Hospitality market. Potential students have the opportunity to study an array of courses from one day seminars in cake decorating, to full-time courses in all aspects of hospitality.
The college also has a commercial restaurant, Taste and coffee lounge as well as a conference suite and two baygate rooms which can be rented out by external businesses. 
Students also have the opportunity to gain valuable work experience by preparing food and buffet style lunches to the companies utilising the suites.
For more information on the college and the courses please visit, http://www.south-thames.ac.uk/hca.html TSCLive will be streamed live from Hotelympia, ExCel, London from February 29 – March 3, 2016.
By Michael Parker
