TWO school chefs had a day to remember working in the kitchens at the iconic five-star Chester Grosvenor last week.

Julia Wood, assistant cook at Weaverham High School in Northwich, and Sally Hazlehurst, business support supervisor for Edsential, spent the day with Chester Grosvenor’s Executive Chef Simon Radley and his brigade as part of the national programme ‘Host a School Chef’ sponsored by Alaska Seafood.

Both are from Edsential, the Community Interest Company founded by Cheshire West and Chester and Wirral Councils.

The programme is designed to demonstrate the skills and knowledge of today’s education caterers as part of the drive to encourage children to eat more healthily.

The Grosvenor has held a Michelin Star unbroken since 1990 and Julia and Sally experienced just what it takes to maintain such high standards.

Julia said: "The first thing that struck me was the sheer number of staff employed across the numerous kitchens and I really appreciated Simon and his team taking time out of their busy day to give me the opportunity to enjoy such a wonderful experience.

"I thoroughly enjoyed myself, but for me the best experience was working with the pastry chef. I was astonished with the wondrous variety of pastries and desserts being made that day. They tasted scrumptious."

Colleague Sally added: “It was a real honour and pleasure to work inside the kitchen at the Grosvenor with such talented chefs and it really was “wow” from start to finish.

"The only problem was that the day went far too quickly, it was mesmerising. Simon’s brigade are a really welcoming, friendly and inclusive group, who made us feel part of the team from the moment we arrived, which helped everything to run so smoothly throughout the day.

"I think the best way I can sum up the day is that it wasn’t just about cooking and serving food, it was about presenting diners with art on a plate. Thank you to Edsential for the experience and to the sponsors for making it possible."