Leading independent catering and hospitality business, CH&Co Group, has partnered with national education and training provider, Learning Curve Group (LCG), to launch a dedicated training and development programme for its 4,500 employees and the first CH&Co Group Chef Academy.
LCG will provide apprenticeships and accredited flexible training to enhance the skills and confidence of employees working back and front-of-house across CH&Co Group’s specialist businesses, including chefs, waiting staff, bar staff, baristas and those engaged in other hospitality and catering roles.
The collaboration will also see the creation of the CH&Co Group Chef Academy. The academy will provide places for 50 trainee chefs to undertake a one-year level 2 professional cookery apprenticeship, including a week’s residential training. It will also support the ongoing professional development of chefs already working within the business.
The targeted training provision will refine and enrich the high-end, quality catering and services delivered to CH&Co Group’s diverse portfolio of clients, which ranges from City law firms and energy companies through to call centres and schools, as well as some of the UK’s most popular tourist destinations and conference and event spaces.
Alison Gilbert, human resources director at CH&Co Group, said: “We are very excited about the new partnership with Learning Curve Group and the great opportunities for professional and personal growth it will afford all of our employees.
“Only by ensuring employees at all stages of their career are engaged, motivated and feel valued through access to the latest, relevant training, can we expect them to do the best job possible, every day, for the business and our clients. The new training and development programme and chef academy will empower all of our people with the right skills and dynamism to consistently deliver first class service to clients as the business continues to grow.”
Brenda McLeish, chief executive of LCG, said: “CH&Co Group is a high-end contract caterer working in some very prestigious tourism sites as well as being the caterer within some of the UK’s largest companies. Vital to its success is employees having the guarantee of the very latest skills and training, which Learning Curve Group is delighted to supply.
“This high quality training and support will allow CH&Co Group’s employees to develop their skills while increasing the company’s productivity, efficiency, quality of service and production. This contract will also support our plans for growth and our ambitions to help employers meet their commitments under the national apprenticeship levy.”