Watch: How Mansfield catering students are benefiting from 'Meals on Wheels' lessons in lockdown

Catering staff at the college’s Derby Road campus have been working hard to ensure that despite lockdown, students whose courses would usually involve putting their skills into action in the kitchens and restaurant areas, can still take part in the practical side to learning their catering skills.

Staff from the college’s Refined restaurant have been putting together individual parcels for the Level 1 Diploma in Hospitality and Catering group, to ensure they have all the right ingredients ready for the week’s cookery lesson – which has been delivered by an online video link.

This has seen chef tutor Mark Jones record his practical lesson on video, instructing students how to create their dishes which have included mushroom risotto, apple crumble and custard, vegetable chilli and Cajun wedges, vegetable chow mein, chocolate brownie, lemon drizzle cake and orange and pear trifle.

Staff have then delivered the ingredients to each student’s home, in a safe and socially distanced way, ready for the class to log in and follow the instructions to make their own gastronomic creations from their own kitchens.

Ice Goodwin-Cox, 17, from Blidworth, was one of the students who has been undertaking the Level 1 Diploma Hospitality and Catering practical elements from home.

He said: “I’ve still enjoyed being able to cook from home, it’s meant that I’ve not fallen behind with my practical skills. However, I am looking forward to coming back to college soon to continue to develop my cooking and to see my classmates again.”

Mr Jones said the aim of the project was to ensure learners were kept active ‘alongside re-capping and embedding their practical skills’.

"They’ve continued to progress and upskill with a range of practical tasks to challenge their varied abilities,” he said.

“Our students have responded really well to the live sessions and it’s given them something to look forward to each week while creating new dishes for their families and showcasing their skills.

“As a catering team it has also shown the learners how effective team work can be even in the toughest of situations.”