Students at HSDC serve up treat for relaunch of swanky new restaurant

HSDC threw open the doors to its new luxury 74 South restaurant at its South Downs College Road campus.

Students, staff and guests were treated to canapes and mocktails as the college showcased its grand new interior amid a cosy dimly lit atmosphere.

The new restaurant, which includes fine dining at affordable prices, provides an industry-standard learning environment where students are ripe for the start of their careers after finishing their courses.

Emma Coath, restaurant manager, came up with the new restaurant name after referencing when the college was built alongside an abbreviation of its name.

‘We were given free rein to do the rebrand and the decor. We’ve made it more modern and elegant,’ she said.

‘Students come in and do their lessons and they prep on the days we are open and take it in turns to work front of house and in the kitchen so they get a grounding for all areas.

‘The food is beautiful. We do fine dine evenings and have big name chefs coming here.’

Chefs design the menus with the students contributing as they progress through their course.

Student Beth Easom-Taylor said: ‘It’s a great atmosphere and you have lots of people coming in including students working with you at the same time.

‘You get to learn all the experiences by going to the different departments of the restaurant including the bar, front of house serving people and in the kitchen.

‘You get all those different bits in one place instead of going from job to job and having to work your way up to get to that point.

‘You learn so you can do that in the outside world and it is such a great opportunity to be able to do that without being able to struggle and it’s a lot of fun.’

The refurbishment started in the summer with plans in the pipeline a year before that.

Chef lecturer Andy Backshall said the new restaurant had already been well received. ‘We’ve had a really good uptake in customers since we had the refurbishment with us now full until after Christmas on every session we are open which is incredible,’ he said.

‘It’s great for students because now we have a new place to study and work. It’s a bit like a London restaurant, it’s cosy, and everyone really appreciates it.

‘We wanted to boost the student experience. It now looks more friendly and more realistic. The whole idea is that we have it as a realistic working environment.

‘It gives them a good grounding for their future careers. We’ve got all the latest technology, a new ordering system where we use iPads like in the industry and the food comes out like it would in the industry.

‘We have people from the industry who help us keep it up to date.

‘We have employer events here and a breakfast meeting in the morning sometimes and they come in and see what we have to offer and they know the students that come from here and the reputation we hold. They know they will be very trained to a high standard.’

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The restaurant is open on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday lunchtimes from midday to 2.30pm and on Wednesday evenings from 6pm to 9.15pm.

A two-course meal costs £12.45, a three-course meal £14.95 and a six-course meal is £25.50.

For more information or to book go to [email protected] or call 023 9279 7952.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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