Sean Lonsdale

I would definitely recommend an Apprenticeship to anyone who prefers to learn on the job rather than in a classroom. In College I cook a wide range of dishes which are often not on workplace menus. I also learn the theory side of catering, which you never have time to do at work. I also meet lots of other Apprentices Chefs and it's interesting to find out what they do in their workplace. So I would 100% recommend the Production Chef Apprenticeship to anyone who is interested in the industry.

Sean chose to do the Production Chef Level 2 Apprenticeship with Lancaster & Morecambe College as he thought it would be a great way to learn more skills and techniques in the hospitality and catering industry, whilst also getting paid to do a job that he thoroughly enjoyed.

I liked each part of the job, but the area that I enjoyed most and still do, is working on the pass. I find that being able to make a dish look amazing is one of the best parts of the job.

After Sean finished the Production Chef Apprenticeship at LMC he progressed onto the Senior Production Chef Level 3 Apprenticeship, and was offered a full time position within the Catering department and taken on as a member of staff as an Apprentice.

The most enjoyable part of the Apprenticeship is being able to learn whilst on the job, being hands on instead of sitting in a classroom as well as getting paid to learn. Also, the fact that I learn skills that I may not even use in the work place yet, but would be helpful to know if I moved on to somewhere else in the future, 

All of the staff in the department are really supportive, and always happy to help in any situation with advice and encouragement, whether it’s teaching me new skills, supporting me with my theory work or developing new ideas on plating dishes.

Sean has steadily learnt more skills as he progresses through the Apprenticeships, initially at the beginning, his job was mainly just prepping in the kitchen, but as he developed more skills he became more involved in ordering the stock and helping supervise students and kitchens. The teaching and supporting the students Sean really enjoys and he is now considering the idea of moving into teaching in the future, a career he had never considered until he started the Apprenticeship at College.

I enjoy helping the staff at College in my role as a Catering Assistant and being a part of a great team. I really like helping and supporting all the students to gain the confidence they will need further on in their lives, and techniques within the hospitality industry they will require in their careers. 

LMC have launched the Bay School of Hospitality in partnership with the award-winning team at Gilpin, one of the region’s top destination venues. This partnership with the Gilpin team coincides with a complete rebrand of LMC’s catering and hospitality offer, and the Bay Restaurant at LMC which is a real working environment for all of our Hospitality & Catering students.

I love that the College has its own restaurant as it offers me an element of still working in the industry and I'd love the opportunity to be involved in the masterclasses and cooking demos with Gilpin’s team of chefs. I feel that I’ve grown so much within my apprenticeships. The key skills I have learnt whilst completing them include how to manage a kitchen effectively and changing the way I act and speak to different people to help them understand. I can also cook and finish a wide range of dishes and understand the importance of food hygiene and health and safety.

When asked if Sean would recommend the Hospitality & Catering Apprenticeships at LMC, his reply was:

I would definitely recommend an Apprenticeship to anyone who prefers to learn on the job rather than in a classroom. In College I cook a wide range of dishes which are often not on workplace menus. I also learn the theory side of catering, which you never have time to do at work. I also meet lots of other Apprentices Chefs and it's interesting to find out what they do in their workplace. So I would 100% recommend the Production Chef Apprenticeship to anyone who is interested in the industry.