Tresham College students celebrate at Weetabix Northamptonshire Food & Drink Awards

Gold award and top five finish for Tresham College students

Tresham College student Leyli Khatiri has won Gold in the Food and Drink College Student of the Year category at the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food & Drink Awards, with a second Tresham learner also recognised among the category’s five finalists.

Leyli Khatiri, a Level 3 Professional Cookery student at Tresham College Corby, took the top spot at the ceremony at the Royal & Derngate, Northampton, on Thursday 15 October. Fellow Tresham College Corby student Maddie Lindsay, who is studying a Level 3 Professional Patisserie programme, was also shortlisted and placed fifth.

Robin Webber-Jones, Deputy CEO and Executive Director of Curriculum, said:

”We’re incredibly proud of Leyli and Maddie. To be shortlisted alongside such talented students from across the county is a real achievement, and for Leyli to take the gold award is a fantastic result. Both have worked hard to develop their skills in the kitchen, and this recognition reflects their dedication and the support of their tutors. Northamptonshire has a thriving food and drink sector, and it’s vital that we’re developing the skilled, passionate people it needs for the future. We’re also grateful to Rachel Mallows and her team for another superb event, and we’re pleased to continue supporting the awards.”

Andrew Robinson, Hospitality & Catering Programme Manager at Tresham College, said:

”I am incredibly proud of the students who entered the Student of the Year Award. Their hard work, dedication, resilience and commitment to their studies have been outstanding. It has been fantastic to see their confidence grow, the challenges they have overcome, and the progress they have made throughout their journey at college. They are truly deserving of this recognition, and their achievements reflect the positive attitude, determination and passion they have shown. They should be extremely proud of themselves, and I am delighted to see their efforts rewarded with such a well-deserved achievement.”

Now in its eighteenth year, the awards celebrate the county’s people, places and producers across 17 categories, from artisan producers and gastro pubs to chefs, community cafés and farms. Finalists regularly report a boost in business, with some seeing custom grow by up to 25 per cent after success at the awards.

The Bedford College Group continues to support the awards, which are led by director Rachel Mallows MBE DL. The Group’s backing reflects its commitment to developing the next generation of talent for Northamptonshire’s food, drink and hospitality sector.