Cameron House Resort has introduced a new chef training programme ahead of its reopening later this year.

The Cameron House Chef Apprenticeship Programme, which launched in December 2019, currently has three young chefs – Thomas O’Neill, Hassouna Nasser, and Adam Neill – undertaking their education and training at The Clubhouse at Cameron restaurant located at The Cameron Club.

Thomas, Hassouna, and Adam are working towards an SQA professional cookery qualification at SCQF Level 6.

While doing so, they are gaining valuable skills as members of the team at the hotel’s Clubhouse Restaurant.

Thomas is excited about what he has learnt so far through the course.

He said: “We have been working with different types of pastry, meats and breads – learning the fundamentals of cooking. We made our own pasta, which is something I didn’t think I would ever get to do.”

The intake at Cameron House Resort are the latest in a line of around 500 modern apprentices to have been supported.

Jennifer Jurgensen, human resources director at Cameron House Resort, said in today’s competitive jobs market, an apprenticeship scheme is something that all employers should consider.

She added: “We really need to be able to demonstrate the ability to offer first class programmes for young people to join our industry and succeed through learning on the job. It’s not often that you get young chefs, like Thomas, aspiring to be head chefs.”

With plans to recruit 10 new apprentice chefs this year, Ms Jurgensen says the programme will play a key role as the hotel looks to the future. She said: “It is particularly important that we add strong apprentices into the kitchen brigades as we have to recruit more than 40 chefs across five different kitchens.”