We meet Mark Hancock, a Chef Lecturer at Brighton Metropolitan College specialising in City & Guilds Professional Cookery.
Mark oversees lunch service at The Gallery Restaurant and leads on departmental sustainability initiatives. Mark is also aiming to build a relationship between the hospitality industry in Brighton and the college – to identify the skills gap that are currently missing, to enhance the students’ first hand experience with hospitality professionals and fill the skills gap within the city.
Mark works alongside a talented team of hospitality professionals, including Steve Cannell, Teaching and Learning Lead, Phil Rose, Level 3 Lecturer, and Moshe Yuchetel, Level 2 Lecturer. Together, they bring a wealth of expertise to inspire the next generation of culinary talent in Brighton and Sussex.
Tell us about the courses available to hospitality students?
We teach level 1, 2 and 3 Professional Cooking. We also teach Food and Beverage Service level 2 and 3.
Next year, you’re launching a Brighton & Hove Chefs Collective to connect the MET College with hospitality and catering establishments committed to serving great food in the city. What can we expect from this initiative?
The goal of the Brighton & Hove Chefs Collective is to strengthen the connection between the industry and the college, bridging the existing gap to enhance students’ learning experience while addressing the city’s skills shortage.
By inviting local chefs to collaborate, we aim to enrich students’ training and build meaningful, long-term partnerships that benefit both the college and the wider hospitality sector.
Here are the details of the Brighton & Hove Chefs Collective:
The event will be hosted at The Gallery Restaurant at The MET College. It will be a very informal occasion where we can bring chefs together from all different sectors within the city to form a network. Level 3 students will be preparing food at the event and local Sussex suppliers will showcase products. This will be the first in what will become a regular event.
The aim is to achieve a working chefs’ forum to share ideas, knowledge and skills and build up a network within the city.
What purpose does the Gallery restaurant serve for the college?
The Gallery is the college’s training restaurant and kitchen which enables students to learn in a working restaurant environment.
Give us a whirlwind tour of your background Mark.
I’ve worked my way up from kitchen porter to chef lecturer over a career of 40 years, winning various awards on the way . I’ve worked at Harrods, The Mayfair Intercontinental Hotel, B&I contract catering in the City of London and more locally, Executive Chef at Sussex University, Managing Head Chef at The Montefiore Hospital and Director of Catering at Varndean School.
Favourite part of your job and why?
Sharing my passion and knowledge with the students using the skills I’ve developed over my career and seeing them grow and develop and moving into industry.
Best piece of advice you can offer a hospitality student?
Effort x talent = success.