Twelve years ago, Community Housing Cymru set up an Award scheme to recognise housing innovation in memory of a special person - Pat Chown. Pat gave a big part of her life to helping others and spent much of her working life in helping to meet people's housing needs in Wales.
Gwynedd-based horticulture, catering and joinery social enterprise tells us what makes the business a success, and about its plans to grow the organisation further.
Catering for the future: Taste Academy restaurant
Date: 15.02.2012
New member helps regeneration of Rhyl and provides vital training and hope for locals.
Lots of us have heard of Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen restaurant, the chef academy which trains disadvantaged, unemployed young people in the catering industry. Many of the apprentices go on to work successfully in the sector and turn their lives around after learning from top chefs.
Last April, a similar social enterprise venture in North Wales, the Taste Academy, opened its doors in sunny spot on Rhyl’s promenade.
It has employed a number of locals in permanent positions and has taken on 24 apprentices so far, 16 of who have gone on to further training or employment.
“The academy is playing a key role in upskilling a local workforce to meet labour demand and skills shortages in the hospitality and catering industry,” says Ali Thomas, programme manager for Rhyl City Strategy, which is behind the venture.
“It is also a showcase facility that is supporting local plans to revitalise Rhyl’s tourism economy,” she adds.
The restaurant is one of Rhyl City Strategy’s main initiatives under the UK government’s ‘Cities Strategies’ programme, launched in 2006. The programme was designed to tackle unemployment and economic inactivity.
The Welsh Government gave money for the building renovation (see building picture at bottom of article) and the academy has also received money from the Conwy/ Denbighshire Substance Misuse Action Team.
Good local food
So far, more than 20,000 visitors have been through the doors to enjoy local treats and international dishes in a fashionable and stylish setting, created by award-winning designer Jamie Alcock.
The academy – which is split into two rooms: a funky cafe, and a more formal restaurant (pictured left) – works closely with Community Interventions Justice Wales’ (CIJW) farmland project to source local food.
Restaurant manager David Mathias spent 23 years in the military running dining rooms for hundreds of people, as well as being involved in welfare.
Youth organisation Rathbone Cymru, is responsible for bringing in apprentices of a variety of ages to the academy - from CIJW, North Wales Women’s Centre and Llandrillo College.
The apprentices then go through Wales Centre for Voluntary Action’s Intermediate Labour Market (ILM) programme to get work experience, NVQs and BTECs in a number of areas including food preparation, catering and business skills while at Taste.
Successful outcomes
Many of the apprentices say the academy has helped them turn a corner in their life. Twenty-seven year old Joe, for example, came to the project when he was really struggling to find work. He’d always been interested in cooking and he felt this was a good opportunity to learn and develop new skills.
“He showed potential in the kitchen and demonstrated focus and leadership skills and became kitchen supervisor. Joe completed his NVQ Level 1 in Food preparation and Cooking, Food Hygiene and COSH Certificate and has secured a Lead Chef position at the Antelope Hotel in Mold,” says Thomas.
“Coming to Taste Academy has really changed my life, opened my eyes to the catering and hospitality world and given me the support to start building a real career,” says Joe.
After a busy end to 2011, hosting the academy’s first wedding in December 2011, as well as countless Christmas parties, the social enterprise is now settling into 2012 and looking forward to welcoming thousands more locals and visitors through its doors.
