Brian bubbles with enthusiasm for food

Brian McDermott who is a part-time lecturer at the College, and a Community Chef in Donegal, has just returned from his week at Le Manoir Aux Quat Saisons, and is bubbling with enthusiasm about his experience at the two-star Michelin restaruant.

A former student himself, Brian has been working with the trainees at the College since March this year, through the Industry into Education programme organised by LSDA and North West Regional College. He has been helping staff and students in Hospitality & Catering to discover the importance and benefits of growing your own produce. He assisted the students and staff to plant raised beds with herbs and salad ingredients for use in the College's kitchens, which serve the bistro and restaurant open to the public.

Brian's aim as a Community Chef is to inspire the regions' future chefs and local residents to better understand the ingredients they use in their recipes and to consider the food miles that go into each dish. By growing and developing their own herbs and vegetables the students are reducing the carbon footprint of the College's menu and learning valuable skills for entering the industry.

It was with great excitement then that Brian accepted the offer to work for a week under the direction of Raymond Blanc and his team at Le Manoir, which is renowned for its multi-acre gardens in which much of the restaurant's produce is grown fresh each season. The opportunity arose thanks to College Catering Lecturer Douglas Walker, who completed a placement at the Oxfordshire complex in 2008, and who has maintained a link with the Michelin star staff.

Brian was expected to pitch in with the staff, and worked in the intricate Pastry section for two days and on the savoury side for three days.

During his week Brian got a sneak peek at the dishes that will feature in Raymond Blanc's upcoming TV series, Kitchen Secrets, as filming was taking place in the restaurant. "It was amazing to see Raymond at work in the kitchen, but you'll have to wait until it airs to see the dishes I saw being cooked!"

The next big step for Brian is the launch of his book, Reunite with Food by the Community Chef, which will be launched in the College next month.