Coleg Menai Catering student gains Swiss pizza experience
Ruben Schlegel Evans, a Level 1 Catering and Hospitality student at Coleg Menai’s Bangor campus, gained valuable work experience over the Christmas holidays at an Italian restaurant in Switzerland.
Ruben, from Caernarfon, worked at Degustibus Cosa Nostra, the oldest pizzeria in the town of Mels, canton of St Gallen, which has been serving the local community for more than 30 years. The venue includes a 22-seat pizzeria and a 26-seat trattoria, both supported by a central kitchen.
Under the guidance of head chef Tabitha, Ruben prepared fresh pizza dough for around 150 pizzas, learning to weigh, mix, knead and portion the dough for daily service. He also produced approximately 300 evenly sized gnocchi dumplings for the trattoria’s lunch and evening menus, gaining first-hand experience of professional kitchen standards in an international setting.
Ruben said:
“I really enjoyed the experience at Degustibus Cosa Nostra, working with Tabitha and the team, observing how they prepare with fresh ingredients daily, and cooking amazing dishes. The attention to detail in the kitchen and during service was of the highest order, and they know how to look after their customers.”
Whilst there, Ruben also met with the owner of the restaurant, none other than Danilo Sangrigoli, multiple world champion pizza baker. Danilo really knows how to select the best ingredients, make the perfect dough, shape and bake the pizzas to perfection.
Ruben said: “I have been working at Black Rock Beach Club in Morfa Bychan over the summer, which I have enjoyed very much. The team at Black Rock Beach Club headed by the award-winning Chef Dan Mayers have been very welcoming. I have really enjoyed the experience, it was great to see how the kitchen performs to a high standard under the guidance of Dan who has followed a similar path that I want to follow with The Gordon Ramsay Group, Manchester City FC Tunnel Club and at the British Grand Prix. I look forward to getting back into the kitchen with the team when they open after the winter holidays”.
“Working at Black Rock Beach Club gave me my first opportunity to work in a professional kitchen, my first duties involved cooking many Pizzas during the summer in the outside Pizza oven and also in the kitchen, therefore, having the opportunity to extend my knowledge of pizza baking at a traditional Italian Pizzeria & Trattoria was a great step for me to learn even more”
Pictured above from left to right Ruben, David, Jamie, Dan, Brenig a Leaire.
Ruben added, “Until this year my passion for cooking has been limited to home cooking which I like to log on my “Ruben Loves to Cook” Instagram page, but the experience of the professional kitchen at Black Rock Beach club, Degustibus Cosa Nostra and at Caban on Coleg Menai’s College campus has ignited my passion for cooking even more.
I am enjoying the challenge and opportunity to be able to learn and develop my culinary skills further at college. I have made new friends and settled down into college life with my fellow classmates and kitchen brigade.
If you would like a career in the Hospitality and Catering Industry, please visit our website to find out more about the courses on offer: https://www.gllm.ac.uk/courses/hospitality-and-catering