From Talented Apprentice to Michelin Star Head Chef
A former Riverside College Catering Apprentice has demonstrated his stunning culinary skills and talent by moving swiftly into a head chef role at mana, a top Michelin Star Restaurant in Manchester.
Connor Slater started his career in hospitality at Spirit Restaurant in Warrington after his high school job at the restaurant progressed into an apprenticeship when he finished school. He had always enjoyed cooking and his ambition to train as a chef began after he developed a passion for food at an early age.
During his apprenticeship, Connor spent four days per week working in the restaurant and one day at Riverside College, where he extended his practical skills including preparing different ingredients and developing new techniques alongside developing his knowledge during the theory lessons. He said, “In my opinion, an apprenticeship is a really good way to be hands-on with your career and still learn at the same time. To do a mix of both theory and practical skills really helped me through my career and to get me to where I am now.”
Connor, who at twenty-three years old has now been promoted to Head Chef at Michelin Star Restaurant mana in Manchester, has enjoyed his exciting career so far. He said, “I really enjoyed my days at Riverside College learning many different skills, it really helped me to get where I am today. The tutors at Riverside College were great, they helped me learn and understand what It takes to become a really good chef and helped point me in the right direction of where I should go in my career.”
Riverside College Catering and Hospitality tutor John Deasy, who taught Connor during his time in College said, “Conor had a wonderful talent for cooking, he always worked hard in lessons and was keen to learn new skills and experiment with new styles and techniques. He demonstrated a great flair and passion when training in our own Scholars Restaurant in College. I could tell he was going to have a successful career; he has had an amazing journey so far and we all wish him the best of luck for the future.
“The College restaurant is open to the public on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 12pm – 1pm. It not only gives students like Connor the opportunity to experiment and try out new styles to inspire their future career, but also offers local people the opportunity to experience gourmet food inspired by dishes from around the world without the expensive price tag.”
To book your table at Scholars, please call 0151 257 2015 or email scholars@riverside.ac.uk