Hawkshead Relish Company and catering students collaboration

Maria and Mark Whitehead, directors of the Hawkshead Relish Company, set the Furness College students the challenge of using their chutneys, relishes and preservatives in starters and desserts. And the Level One diploma catering students produced an array of sweet and savoury treats.

Mr and Mrs Whitehead, who both received MBEs in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List, were suitably impressed with the standard of the young chefs’ cooking. Mark Whitehead, managing director of the Hawkshead Relish Company, said: “The students had some really good and varied ideas. They used lots of imagination with some dishes. Everything was edible and there was a great variety. We were impressed with the design and execution of their ideas.”

Before setting the challenge, the couple visited the students to give them an insight into their successful company and a bit of background on how they got started. They also brought along a few samples of their produce to get the students’ taste buds tingling.

After going in front of a judging panel, including the Whiteheads, student Sheralee Barker’s raspberry and vanilla cheesecake won the day. All the dishes, including lamb with Cumberland Sauce and stuffed duck breast with Fig and Orange Glaze, now take pride of place on the relish company’s website in the recipe section.

Photo: Copyright of the Northwest Evening Mail