The Lakeside Hotel & Spa is welcoming two French culinary students who have flown into the UK to get a taste of working in the Lake District hospitality industry.
Marine Trimouille, 19 and Claire Delmotte, 21, are currently studying at a prestigious hospitality school in the historic city of Blois in central France, south
The aspiring culinary duo have already completed three month work placements at Lakeside Hotel & Spa earlier this year, but loved it so much that they volunteered to return for the summer to gain further experience.
The pair are getting stuck into all aspects of life in a hotel kitchen and restaurant.
Over the coming weeks they will be working with the hotel’s 20-strong kitchen brigade servicing two main eateries: the fine dining Lake View restaurant and the John Ruskin Brasserie.
Marine says, “Coming to the Lake District is a great way for us to practice our skills and also to improve our English. It is definitely helping me to build my confidence and to dream big… I would eventually like to specialise as a pastry chef, and who knows, one day maybe I can run my own restaurant!”
Head Chef Richard Booth adds, “Passionate people are vital for the future of high-quality hotels and restaurants, so it is fantastic to see that students from France – one of the world’s best known culinary powerhouses – have chosen to come and experience how we do things here in the Lake District.
“We need to keep the flow of new innovators in our industry, so welcoming such enthusiastic international students is a positive way of supporting the next generation of aspiring chefs and hospitality professionals. It is also great to see them sharing the latest trends and ideas from continental Europe with our existing workforce.”
Lakeside Hotel & Spa also regularly mentors local groups of catering students and Richard is a long-time judge of Cumbria’s annual Young Chef of the Year competition.
Check out our food review for the savoury, vegetarian and vegan afternoon teas at Lakeside Hotel & Spa here.
