The college’s School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts can boast a heritage dating back to the great Auguste Escoffier and the book, entitled: In a Class of its Own, written by head of hospitality and culinary arts Gary Hunter and renowned food industry writer Adam Kay, celebrates the college’s legacy of more than 100 years of culinary education.
The book includes contributions from current staff, as well as former students such as top chefs Jamie Oliver, Paul Gayler and Ainsley Harriott, and a series of illustrated recipes taken from the college’s entire history, which altogether represents a unique story.
Hunter, who has worked at the college for more than 15 years, brings a wealth of experience to his role having been a head chef, pastry chef and development chef during his time working in the hospitality industry. He also teaches on a number of courses at the college and regularly launches new courses in culinary arts and hospitality.
In authoring the book he was inspired by the history of the college, some of which had been hidden away in the archives for many years.
“It was important to historically identify the influential link between us and Auguste Escoffier, because we remain true to his principles and values today,” says Hunter. “But we also have very strong connections with the Universal Cookery & Food Association, which is now known as the Craft Guild of Chefs. With Baroness Burdett-Coutts and Herman Senn, they were instrumental in the concept of the first professional hospitality and cookery school in the UK.”
To order a copy of ‘In a Class of its Own’, visit: www.westking.ac.uk/recipebook