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Trainee butcher James is a cut above the rest

16.03.2010

Former sous chef James Smith recognised an opportunity in butchery that would have eluded many of his age. At just 21 years of age, James has a confidence and a worldliness that belies his years and has already proved he is a cut above as he continues to train to become a butcher.

While many youngsters are drawn to the catering industry by the glamour and allure of celebrity chefs, James decided that learning the craft skills of a butcher while still working in a kitchen would give him better career opportunities working in a variety of job roles across the food industry.

James works as a trainee chef at the on-site restaurant of food and drink training specialist Poultec, the Cafe Verde. He started working for the Dereham-based company aged just 16, initially washing dishes.

Impressed by the range of courses offered by Poultec, which is champion of the National Skills Academy for Food and Drink Manufacturing’s meat and poultry network, James soon started signing up for classes himself, taking advantage of the modular approach to learning to fit training around work. He is currently working towards Level 3 National Vocational Qualifications in both professional cookery and butchery.

“I have always had a passion for food,” he says. “After I left college, I jumped at the chance of coming in to work in the kitchens. From there I got to see Poultec’s in-house butchery training facilities and my interest in that side of it started to grow. Eventually the opportunity arose to do qualifications in both butchery and cookery while working here.

“The courses do overlap and there are quite a few sections, especially involving game and poultry, that are common to both,” says James. He gives one recent example of this overlap which saw him prepare venison from field to plate, butchering a locally sourced animal before turning it into a dish to serve in the restaurant. His venison with redcurrants sold out in a day.

James says his mentor, meat department trainer Terry Beales, has helped him a great deal in realising his ambitions. “Ever since I’ve been here, my boss has been keen to put me onto more courses,” he says. “And whenever places became available I accepted them.”

Terry, who owned his own butcher’s business until last November, says James’s passion and willingness to learn has amazed the staff at Poultec. “The boy has a natural flair for it,” he says. “He took to butchery straight away. Cheffing has helped him along too. He is a quick learner and will make an excellent member of the meat trade.”

Justine Fosh, executive director of the National Skills Academy for Food and Drink Manufacturing, said the variety of training opportunities available to James demonstrated why Poultec enjoys such a strong reputation in the food industry. “Poultec is one of the our founding members in the National Skills Academy and embodies everything we stand for in terms of delivering world-class training to the food and drink industry,” she said.

“What is interesting about James’ story is how he has been able to adapt his training to suit his own interests in combining two quite different disciplines. This flexibility is something more and more companies are looking for and something all National Skills Academy training providers are well equipped to offer. In the meat and butchery trade, for example, you’re seeing more and more high street operators diversify their businesses. Having other skills, be they in retail, bakery or other food preparation disciplines, is becoming more and more important, and that is creating a big demand for the kind of demand-led training Poultec offers.”

The National Skills Academy for Food and Drink Manufacturing was established in 2007 in order to raise standards in occupational training within the food and drink industry. It operates through a series of provider networks on a region-by-region and sector-by-sector basis, with separate networks established for bakery, dairy and general food production, as well as for specialist operational disciplines such as lean manufacturing and robotics and automation.

For more information, log on to www.foodanddrink.nsacademy.co.uk