Last week, Hospitality and Catering students at Tresham College Corby, part of The Bedford College Group, were given a rare opportunity to learn from one of Thailand’s most celebrated chefs.

Chef Jay, winner of Iron Chef Thailand, widely recognised as the Thai equivalent of MasterChef, delivered an exclusive masterclass at The Manor House Restaurant.

Chef Jay travelled from London to deliver an on-site masterclass, giving students a valuable opportunity to watch a top-level chef at work. Students were on site early to prepare and fully engage with the session, reflecting the college’s commitment to hands-on, industry-led learning.

During the masterclass, Chef Jay prepared three of his signature Thai dishes in front of students, who observed techniques first-hand, took detailed notes, asked questions, and sampled the dishes as part of the learning experience. Following the session, Chef Jay also spent time speaking with students in the kitchen during preparations for Christmas service, offering further insight into professional kitchen practice.

Corby Manor House cookery
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Chef Jay is closely associated with Suan Dusit International Culinary School in Bangkok, one of the top culinary schools in the region, which delivers a 60-hour Level 3 programme taught in English and held to the highest international standards of culinary excellence.

His visit has opened up an opportunity for a select group of students and staff across The Bedford College Group to be considered as part of a funding bid to travel to Bangkok and experience the programme first-hand. The programme would challenge students under expert supervision and immerse them in authentic Thai culinary techniques at an advanced level.

Chef Jay’s visit was facilitated by World City Links, a not-for-profit international education partnerships organisation currently active in China, Japan, Thailand and Brazil. World City Links delivers international professional development for educators, international curriculum experiences, and joint curriculum programmes across Schools, Further Education and Higher Education.

Julian Vennis, Director of World City Links, said:

“It’s amazing to be able to bring Chef Jay and his talents to The Manor House Restaurant at Tresham College Corby for the students to watch an expert at work. Visits like these strengthen connections between institutions, which will hopefully lead on to a successful bid for these students to visit Suan Dusit themselves. However, the two-week course in Thailand is not a holiday; students will be pushed to their culinary limits under Chef Jay’s watchful eye.”

Chef Jay’s impressive career includes winning Iron Chef Thailand as well as multiple gold medals and international culinary awards, making his visit particularly significant for aspiring chefs.

Andrew Robinson, Hospitality Programme Manager at The Bedford College Group and The Manor House Restaurant, added:

“For our Hospitality and Catering students, having industry professionals cooking directly in front of them is invaluable. Not only does it bring excitement and passion to the kitchen, but it also means students can pick up niche tips and tricks from the best of the best. To be learning Thai dishes from a native Thai Iron Chef winner, it doesn’t get much better than that.”

To find out more about the Catering and Hospitality courses available at Tresham College Corby, visit https://bedfordcollegegroup.ac.uk/subjects/hospitality-and-catering/

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