Cookery students from North Herts College travelled to Wembley Stadium and met with an alumni who featured in the BBC hit show MasterChef.

Former NHC student and MasterChef quarter-finalist Andrew D’Amery hosted a cooking session for the talented pupils who also took a tour of the world famous venues hospitality facilities, stadium and kitchens.

During their visit, the students also completed a mocktail making masterclass, with Andrew providing lunch comprising of fine dining dishes to give the keen teens a taste of the high life corporate visitors receive as he also gave them a glimpse of his career since gaining his NHC catering qualification. Andrew said: “It has been absolutely brilliant to work with NHC and meet such a great, friendly, enthusiastic group of students.

“Based on the skills demonstrated, the future of this industry looks very bright indeed.”

Last year, Andrew showcased his cookery skills on TV when he took part in MasterChef, alongside another former NHC student, Maximilian Holba, who both reached the quarterfinals.

Catering student Emily Leonard added: “The trip to Wembley taught me so much about how all the Emily Leonard, a catering student.

“The trip to Wembley taught me so much about how all the chefs work as a team to make everything run smoothly and get everything done right, it really opened my eyes to what the industry is like behind closed doors.

“I learnt a lot and found it very interesting!”

Catering tutor Anthony Gascoigne said: “The Wembley trip highlighted the scope and scale of the industry and just how diverse the sector is.

“The tour included all the differing levels of catering from fast food to fine dining. The food offered to the students challenged their taste buds and perceptions of fine dining. A big thanks to Mark Reynolds the executive chef and sous chef Andrew for having us.’

Interested in a catering career? Check out NHC’s courses www.nhc.ac.uk/programmes/catering-hospitality.