Sodexo chefs master the art of chocolate

A group of chefs from independent education at Sodexo, the world’s largest services company, took an intensive master class from renowned French chocolatier Philippe Gobet.

Hosted at Cacao Barry’s UK Chocolate Academy in Banbury, the one-day course was arranged under Sodexo’s partnership with the world famous Ecole Lenôtre in Paris, announced last year.

Chefs from Independents by Sodexo visited the Barry Callebaut chocolate factory on Friday (21 February) followed by the master class from Gobet, director of Ecole Lenôtre and member of the French Chocolate Academy – a highly prestigious organisation that takes five years of training to enter.

The chefs who attended this first course are responsible for the company’s innovation hubs at the following independent schools across the country:

• Eton College, Reading Blue Coat School and Licensed Victualler’s School, Berkshire • St Swithun’s School and Twyford School, Hampshire: • Altrincham Grammar School for Girls and Terra Nova School, Cheshire • Hurst College, West Sussex • Ashwicke Hall, Wiltshire • Tudor Hall School, Oxfordshire

Tom Allen, executive development chef for Independents by Sodexo said: “Our chefs are already serving a variety of chocolate recipes and dishes in independent schools made fresh from scratch, from grab-and-go potted desserts to green tea and dark opera gateau. After this training they will be on a completely different level. “The course gave our chefs a real insight into the many factors that affect the flavour of chocolate, such as which country it comes from and whether it’s blended or single source, so they can take this back to their teams to raise the bar of dishes in schools. “And it’s not just this course which our chefs have the opportunity to take part in. April will see the final group of chefs from independent schools visit Ecole Lenôtre in Paris for a three-day course in bread making, and in autumn they will visit again for a hospitality course, so they can offer the best quality in working lunches, cold buffets and match day teas.”

Sodexo prides itself on serving fresh and creative food which inspires, nourishes and maintains the health and wellbeing of the pupils and their teachers. By investing in its chefs and their training Sodexo is ensuring its chefs deliver fabulous food consistently and to extremely high standards.