Irish wholesale retail, foodservice and SME businesses supplier Musgrave MarketPlace has announced a new series of ‘Chef Skills Masterclasses’ in partnership with Ireland’s professional chef community, Chef Network.
The series has been launched to help address the current issue of attracting and retaining culinary talent in Ireland and aims to provide affordable training and increased opportunities for chefs working in the Irish food industry. The first Masterclass was held at Musgrave MarketPlace’s Ballymun Food Emporium with head development chef Clement Pavie and Michelin-star chef Danni Barry.
The announcement forms part of Musgrave MarketPlace’s ongoing commitment to supporting and assisting with the professional development of up-and-coming chefs and the future leaders of Ireland’s food industry. In addition to their partnership with Chef Network, Musgrave MarketPlace has committed to investing €346,000 over four years with DIT Culinary Arts School.
Speaking about the initiative, Desi Derby, marketing director at Musgrave MarketPlace, said, “As the 'food people', we are proud to support Ireland’s food service professionals and fully understand the importance of education and training in the early and mid-level career stages. The Chef Skills Masterclasses provide a crucial opportunity for chefs in training, and for experienced professionals to upskill in key areas. We are delighted to be involved in the upcoming masterclasses and look forward to working with Chef Network throughout 2018.”
The ‘Chef Skills Masterclasses’ will take place over an eight-month period and will examine current food trends and new ways of cooking including root-to-tip / zero waste cooking; Japanese / Asian influences in Irish cuisine; preserving and pantry cooking (fermenting and curing, etc.); cooking with fish; and tips on maximising seasonal Irish produce. Key themes also include menu design, dish costing and profitability
Ruth Hegarty, head of community at Chef Network, commented, “We are thrilled to have Musgrave MarketPlace on board as sponsors of the Chef Skills Masterclasses. Our core aim is to tackle the skills shortage in today’s Irish food industry and these classes provide a stepping stone in doing so. Musgrave MarketPlace is a prime example of a company that recognises the industry’s role in training Ireland’s current and future food specialists and so we are proud to be continuing our partnership for 2018.”
Meanwhile, Danni Barry said, “As chefs we are continuously learning and so it is so important for us to constantly up-skill throughout our career. I truly believe we all need to work together to ensure this happens and that our industry is a place where people learn and develop, so I am really happy to contribute to these efforts and collaborate with Chef Network and Musgrave MarketPlace on this initiative”.
