Launched in 2020, the Craft Guild of Chefs run both the College and Training Providers Accreditation scheme and these are growing in popularity across the country. Welcome Skills is the first training organisation of its type to gain recognition.

David McKown MBE, a member of the Management Committee at the Craft Guild of Chefs and head of training and quality at the University of Sheffield, said: “In usual circumstances we would visit the organisation to make our assessments but, due to the pandemic, Welcome Skills have been offering their courses in the ‘virtual’ classroom in places as far away as Asia.

“I observed delivery sessions at the Welcome Skills International School in Bangladesh, interviewing some of the students and staff to fully understand their strategy and delivery criteria.

“I was very impressed and would make a special mention of Professor David Foskett MBE CMA, the School’s Executive Patron who has supported this accreditation. Many of you will know Prof. Foskett for his outstanding contributions to the most read educational books within hospitality.”

As the leading chef association in the UK, The Craft Guild of Chefs is committed to increasing the standards of professional cooking through greater awareness, education, and training.

It is keen to do more to inspire the next generation of chefs at a grassroots level, which is why it launched the accreditation programme.

Andrew Green, chief executive of the Craft Guild of Chefs, added: “I am delighted that Welcome Skills have joined Loughborough and Eastleigh Colleges in achieving this demanding standard. This accreditation provides a professional recognition and clearly demonstrates that the curriculum offered by the holders has industry credibility.”

The scheme is aimed at colleges, universities and Training Providers that want to benefit from the association’s decades of experience and to tap into its extensive network of chefs by associating their faculty with the Craft Guild of Chefs name. It also offers colleges access to high profile chefs who can be asked to become guest speakers and College Patrons.

Kulsum Hussin, chief executive of Welcome Skills, commented: “As a national and international training and recruitment organisation, we are delighted to achieve accreditation by the prestigious Craft Guild of Chefs.

“We look forward to working closely with the Craft Guild of Chefs and many more companies as they look to train and recruit skilled chefs for the industry. We are also excited to be introducing young talented chefs from overseas to the standards of excellence of the Craft Guild.”