Catering students at Nottingham College welcomed a special guest this week when Wade Smith, founder and co-owner of Doughnotts, visited our City hub campus to judge a doughnut-making competition.
The competition was organised by Catering Tutor Colin Whittle and involved 11 Level 2 NVQ students. Designed to introduce students to the demands of a Level 3 assessment, the challenge gave them several weeks to plan, develop and practise their doughnut recipes before presenting their final products for judging.
After Colin approached Doughnotts about getting involved, Wade was keen to support the competition and spent the morning working with students. Alongside judging the finished products, he shared advice on doughnut production, shaping techniques and working within the bakery industry.
Students had the opportunity to ask questions and receive feedback from someone who has helped grow one of Nottingham's best-known food businesses from a local start-up into a recognised brand.
The overall winner was Nina Mendes, whose doughnuts impressed Wade with both their quality and presentation.
Speaking about Nina's entry, Wade said the doughnuts were of a "boutique" standard and would be well suited to the wedding market. He also praised the standard of work produced across the competition, telling students that some of their doughnuts were better than those he made when he first started out.
Colin Whittle said: "The aim was to give our Level 2 students a taste of the challenges they can expect at Level 3 while allowing them to develop their creativity and technical skills. Having Wade involved gave them valuable feedback from someone working at the highest level of the industry."
The visit proved a success for both students and staff, and Wade has already expressed an interest in returning to Nottingham College during the Catering Department's Industry Week to demonstrate some of the techniques behind Doughnotts' products.
Competitions and industry visits play an important role in helping Nottingham College students develop their skills, confidence and understanding of careers within hospitality and catering.
To find out more about our Catering and Hospitality courses, visit https://www.nottinghamcollege.ac.uk/course-areas/catering-and-hospitality
