WHEN eating out for a Christmas meal, most people would assume that a restaurant would be the first port of call. But a college and its students are out to prove that its three-course festive menu is more than able to compete.

North Hertfordshire College’s (NHC) Indulge restaurant is run by catering and hospitality students, with the menu cooked by a team of student chefs.

Although the restaurant is open throughout the year, it runs themed evenings including Burns Night, Valentines Day meals and, currently, Christmas meals.

The menu consists of dishes such as duck rilette with red onion marmalade and a warm croissant for starter, roasted turkey, chestnut stuffing, cranberry jus, seasonal vegetables and all the trimmings for main course, and Baileys cr�me brulee and red berries in a hibiscus and basil syrup for dessert.

There is also complimentary mulled wine and coffee and mince pies, as well as a fully-stocked bar.

And to prove that the students are actually the ones doing the cooking, a flat screen TV situated in the decorated restaurant shows them real-time hard at work in the kitchen.

“The restaurant is perfect, vital really,” said head of catering Maggie Mansi.

“You can do all the food in the classroom, but until it’s in a real environment you don’t know what to expect. Especially with Christmas, when it’s really busy. The students then know what it’s like working in a really busy environment.

“So far, we’ve had great feedback. Our customers have been really pleased.”

The restaurant is based at the college’s Centre for Arts campus in Hitchin.

For more information or to book in for Christmas dinner, visit www.indulge.nhc.ac.uk