Whiting & Hammond moves into training
Top-rated food-led multiple operator Whiting & Hammond (W&H) has been chosen to operate the training kitchens and restaurant at the new £20m West Kent College.
The move is believed to be the first time a food-led pub operator has been selected to run a training college.
Founder Brian Keeley-Whiting said the group, which runs five food-led pubs in Sussex and Kent, may also get involved in running training kitchens at three other colleges.
The new college, which is halfway through a £20m redevelopment merging West and South Kent Colleges, also has a Costa Coffee and privately-run gym.
"We will open seven days a week for lunch and dinner," said Keeley-Whiting.
The pub operator was approached by the college to run the catering facility, and has initially signed up for one year. W&H will charge the college a management fee, and any losses in the first year will be covered by West Kent.
The catering suite has three major training kitchens and a restaurant kitchen, and the View restaurant takes up the top floor of the building.
It is scheduled to open this week, and will be run by a head chef, sous chef and
chef de partie from
Whiting & Hammond. Students will work alongside the chefs.
Keeley-Whiting added: "We should be able to cut our own training costs, and see the potential of young people coming through, which will make recruitment easier in future."
Keeley-Whiting founded Whiting & Hammond in 2003 after leaving gastro-operator Brunning & Price where he rose to the position of director. The company's pubs are: the Chaser, Tonbridge, the Old Mill, East Grinstead, the Mark Cross Inn, Tunbridge Wells, the Little Brown Jug, Tonbridge, and the Farm@Friday Street, Eastbourne.
