Royal Navy chef based in Portsmouth in the running to be crowned Britain's top apprentice

Lisa Williams, who is a chef on Type 45 destroyer HMS Dauntless, has been named as a finalist at this year’s BAME Apprenticeship Awards.

The chef is one of 10 people competing for the title of the best retail, tourism and hospitality sector apprentice in the UK – including employees of top London hotels like The Savoy.

The November awards showcase the efforts and skill of apprentices from minority communities in everything from law, health and care work, to construction and accounting.

Lisa was put forward having already won in the same category in the navy’s apprenticeship awards earlier this year.

Originally from St Vincent and the Grenadines, Lisa started her working life in the insurance industry but quickly realised her dream was to move to England, work in hospitality and ultimately open her own restaurant, serving traditional food from her home islands.

Two years later she left her home in the Caribbean and moved to the UK to join the Senior Service, learning how to be a sailor first, chef second, at HMS Raleigh in Torpoint, before joining Dauntless

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Describing Lisa as a ‘consummate professional’, Sub Lieutenant Liam Rice of the navy’s apprenticeship team based at HMS Collingwood, said her efforts and ability meant that the level two hospitality team member apprentice regularly performed duties typically carried out by more experienced personnel.

‘Throughout her apprenticeship she demonstrated grit and determination to routinely run busy shifts in the ship’s galley,’ he said.

‘Lisa’s ability to retain information quickly, apply it correctly and build upon it when appropriate makes her a credit to the team. She has quickly become a lynchpin of the ship’s catering team, which is impressive for such a junior chef or steward.’

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