The Academy West Restaurant at Ellesmere Port – based within Cheshire College and run by students – is starting an innovative micro herb project as it continues its goal to ensure ingredients are as fresh and local as possible. It is thought to be one of the first Colleges in the UK to have its own micro herb scheme.
The herbs and leaves will be grown in a specialist chiller within the new Deli on-site at the College. The farm-shop-inspired Deli launches on Tuesday, 1st October, and will sell fresh produce and artisan food products to staff and students every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Academy West is one of two restaurants at Cheshire College campuses that offer students the chance to work in the restaurant as part of their learning. They collaborate with local businesses and prestigious chefs and have a strong focus on using home-grown and locally sourced ingredients.
Adam Gaunt, Chef Lecturer for Catering and Hospitality, said, “We decided to introduce the herbs as we were starting up the Deli from scratch, growing our own fruit and vegetables, and we thought growing our own herbs would be a really good start. We hope to eventually set up our own gardens at the College, too. The herbs will be used in everything from finishing dishes to making infused oils, garnishing cocktails, making salads, and all the private events we do here at the College. Sustainability is really important in the food industry, and we want to give the students opportunities to try something they could later use in their careers. It will also allow us to grow herbs to order when we’re planning a particular menu.”
The herbs will be grown using an Evogro indoor plant growing system. The innovative technology is used mainly in Michelin-starred and high-end restaurants, and Cheshire College is one of the first colleges to use it. The chiller is linked to an app so students can sow the seeds and see the herbs growing in real-time. A calendar shows when they will be ready. Cameras on each shelf take photos regularly, and technology allows students to control the light temperature and humidity.
Mark Parsons, Assistant Principal for Cheshire College, said,
“Sustainability is a main priority for us across the College, and we strive to ensure this is woven into all our courses. In the food industry, there is a big focus on seasonal, fresh and locally sourced produce, and it’s important that our students understand that and are introduced to ways of doing this as part of their learning. Technology offers many industries the opportunity to develop and innovate, and we want our students to experience this too so they can embed it in their future careers. The Evogro system is really exciting as there are many benefits for students both in learning what goes into the growing process and using the end product in the food they create.”
Adam adds, “Sustainability is key for us as a department this year. We are working on recycling and zero waste, and we promote as much seasonal produce as we can with local suppliers and local provenance, as it’s important for us to teach our students that part of the industry. We hope to instil those values early on so they can stay with them throughout their career.”
The award-winning restaurant already has a Highly Commended Rosette from AA Hotel Services Rosette and a Gold Accreditation and Centre of Excellence for Food and Beverage Service from People First. It is also working towards achieving a Green Star Award, a key industry award recognising a restaurant is at the forefront of the industry when it comes to its sustainable practices. Academy West is open to the public on Tuesdays and Thursdays and also offers catering for private events across the region. The College offers Catering and Hospitality courses at Levels 1, 2 and 3. For more information on Academy West and catering courses available at Cheshire College, visit www.ccsw.ac.uk.
