Blackburn College invests £850,000 into student kitchens

Blackburn College has invested £850,000 into its Scholars Restaurant, Food for Thought café and training kitchen.

The refurbishment comes after Lisa Goodwin-Allen, executive chef at the Michelin-starred Northcote in Lancashire, joined Scholars as ambassador and patron.

In her new role, Goodwin-Allen will work with head chef and chef lecturer David Lyon to train students.

The investment into the college was funded by the Local Skills Improvement Fund (LSIF).

This has gone towards improving the kitchen facilities at the fine dining Scholars restaurant, which now features a new prep kitchen, dry storeroom, as well as induction cooking equipment.

The restaurant itself has also had an uplift, having been fitted out with plush booths, high tables, a barista machine and automated booking systems.

Meanwhile, the café, which is run entirely by students, has also received a portion of the refurbishment funds.

Goodwin-Allen said: “I’m incredibly proud to support the launch of Blackburn College’s new kitchen and restaurant facilities. This investment is a fantastic opportunity for students to develop the essential skills, creativity, and confidence needed for careers in the modern hospitality industry.”

Dr Fazal Dad, principal and chief executive of Blackburn College, added: “It’s vital that our students leave Blackburn College not only with a qualification, but also equipped with the knowledge, skills and behaviours that are required for them to add value to their future workplaces.

“This significant investment to our catering and hospitality department reinforces this and I’m delighted we can offer a learning environment that reflects an industry-standard kitchen and restaurant.”