Cardiff and Vale College first Welsh college to be inducted into the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts

Cardiff and Vale College has become the first college in Wales to join the Royal College of Culinary Arts (RACA) College Community Programme.

Designed to extend RACA’s reach and support to colleges offering hospitality training across the UK, the College Community programme aims to link industry specialists and Further Education colleges to develop career knowledge and skills for the next generation of culinary talent.

RACA, whose patron is His Majesty King Charles, is the UK’s leading professional membership association of head chefs, head pastry chefs, restaurant managers and associates.

The Community College programme offers colleges support with activities to give learners access to top-flight industry experts to develop higher level skills and gain practical experience and understanding of workplace expectations, enhancing their employability. Supported by funding from the Savoy Educational Trust, the new programme aims to support 35 colleges over three years – 11, including CAVC have enrolled so far.

Cardiff and Vale College Principal Sharon James-Evans said: “We are delighted to join the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts. Working in partnership with industry experts to ensure our learners have cutting-edge skills and industry knowledge is core to our commitment to offering real, not realistic experiences that can build their employability. It really is exciting to be a part of this UK-wide project.”

Royal Academy of Culinary Arts Education Committee Chair and College Community Programme Director Neil Rippington said: “The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts (RACA) is excited to welcome Cardiff and Vale College as its first College Member in Wales.

“The programme opens a wide range of opportunities for the students and staff of the college through a network of a leading industry specialists, including chefs, pastry chefs, front-of-house experts, a range of incredible producers and suppliers, and RACA’s industry partners.

“We approached Cardiff and Vale College as we already had some established connections but also with the knowledge that the college provides the very best learning and development opportunities for its students, in a high-quality environment and with excellent resources.

“We look forward to growing the college community here and building a world-class network of expertise to strengthen the great work and experiences delivered on hospitality and catering programmes at the college.”