Following our biggest ever training last year in February, we are thrilled to have built a strong supportive training relationship with Compass Group NZ, who are a national food and support services provider responsible for a number of different sites across New Zealand. So far in 2018, Kate Underwood, Training and Education Manager has hosted three Chip Group Trainings for different Compass Group Ltd staff throughout NZ – including Albany, Palmerston North and Wellington.
The first session was held in Albany on the North Shore of Auckland, at the Massey University campus, with the assistance of Leela Wati, one of the Operations Managers for Compass Group in Auckland. She is in charge of several different catering sites, including Massey Albany, which is where we took her staff through the full Chip Group training. Most of the staff work full-time at the student café on site, so are constantly cooking and preparing chips. An interactive practical element was included and staff were pleased to realise that they had been serving the ideal scoop size per portion. The Kitchen manager from Auckland Diocesan for Girls was also in attendance and she has since requested another training session for her own staff at the Dio campus.
The second session was held in Massey Palmerston North, with the help of Compass staff – Phil Russell and Alan Shannon. Staff went through the full training session and a practical session – where students could put their new-found knowledge into action. Weighing scoop sizes, timing their scoops, comparing chip varieties and implementing the ‘shake, bang and hang’ technique.
Training attendee and Head Chef of the Massey Palmerston North site – Kupsami Gounder found it very insightful for both himself and his staff. With many years of experience working in hotels and catering organisations he still learned a great deal about deep frying, and was particularly interested in oil maintenance and the type of oil. “The training was great, I have always been a fan of cottonseed oil, it is the best I have used for frying, as it has a nice clean taste and lasts longer,” says Kupsami Gounder.
The third session was down in the capital where we returned to Kathryn Jermyn Hall to take the Compass Group staff that work amongst the various different Victoria University Halls of Residence. With the help of Margaret Thorsen, Head Dietician and Joseph Vadakedath, as part of their induction training day, we took them through the shortened Refresher course – to renew their skills (earned during last year’s full Chip Group Training session) and emphasised the important role they play in the health of their residence.
Compass Group Ltd are an extremely valuable organisation for The Chip Group to be working with and we look forward to collaborating and hosting even more Chip training workshops in the future.
Kate Underwood – Training and Education Manager.
