Chartwells apprentice celebrates food safety award

Kat Davie, an apprentice at educating caterer Chartwells, is celebrating after recently competing in the Grand Finals of the Nestlé Professional Toque d’Or competition.

The Toque d’Or competition has been running for more than 30 years and offers students and apprentices unique and exciting real-world industry experiences. The competition demonstrates the huge number of opportunities within the hospitality industry and bridges the gap between education and industry service.

As an apprentice, Davie supports the day-to-day culinary preparation in the school kitchen. Following the competition, Davie received a Special Award from The Royal Society of Public Health for achieving the highest scores in food safety from the judges during the competition.

“I found Kat a massive inspiration and genuine in her unassuming approach – she gave it her all, no matter what,” says Adam Bateman, competition judge and group operations and development chef. “During the national heats, she cooked simple food but worked hard to maximise her flavours. Her dish of beetroot and feta balls with courgette spaghetti was one of the standout dishes, which got her through to the grand finals. Kat had a great attitude throughout the competition and was very humble, which can be hard to maintain in a very competitive environment.”

“As if competing at Toque d’Or wasn’t enough, to now be receiving this award as well is completely overwhelming,” says Kat Davie, apprentice at Chartwells. “The opportunities my apprenticeship has presented to me are never ending. My manager encouraged and championed me throughout this experience, and I can’t wait to continue learning and seeking out new opportunities to improve.”