Two apprentices from Beresford Street Kitchen in Jersey, which employs people with learning disabilities and autism, have been given the opportunity to achieve a City & Guilds qualification thanks to Intertrust.
Leroy Mauger and Fabio Cerveira, who both started working at Beresford Street Kitchen in St Helier in August 2017, have been attending Highlands College every Tuesday since September.
As well as learning essential culinary skills, food hygiene and preparation methods the apprentices have also gained knowledge of cost control operations, nutrition at work, practical cookery, cold food preparation and basic pastry techniques, all under the supervision of head chef Adrian Goldsborough.
Every Tuesday Leroy and Fabio also provide a lunch service at the Highlands Academy Restaurant, which is open to the public from 12pm-2.30pm.
Beresford Street Kitchen operates with a vision of an inclusive workforce where people with learning disabilities and autism have the opportunity to maximise their potential. The Aspire Charitable Trust Jersey, which was founded in 2015, runs the kitchen and provides education and training, as well as employment opportunities.
Helene Senior, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Intertrust, said: “We’re delighted to have been given the opportunity to support Beresford Street Kitchen again and are really enjoying following Leroy and Fabio through their course. Aspire does a wonderful job in helping people with learning difficulties find employment through training and education, and the course offered by Highlands College will give Leroy and Fabio the skills that will be beneficial in helping them find employment in the future.”
Gabby Ellmers, Operations Manager at Beresford Street Kitchen, said: “Without Intertrust’s sponsorship, this wouldn’t be possible, so we are very grateful to them. Fabio and Leroy are now five months into the course and are already showing skill and confidence and, more importantly, they are really enjoying it.”
