Sam’s story –

After I left school I didn’t get on the college course I wanted, so I got a job as a kitchen porter in The Bull’s Head, Craswall. I got taught how to cook by the chef Charles Mackintosh .

Once I had developed my basic skills and knowledge, they gave me a chance to develop myself further at their hotel, The Swan at Hay, Hay-on-Wye, under chef Harry Mackintosh. This is where I really began to understand what it is to be a chef not just a cook, and where I truly found my passion for cooking.

It was in 2013 I was given the opportunity to run a kitchen as Head Chef at a new café that was to open called Café Miro by David Locke.

The direction David wanted to drive Café Miro was exactly the challenge I was looking for and I feel we are achieving it. I was also given the chance to complete an Intermediate Apprenticeship in Food Production and Cooking Level 2, with the support of HIT Training.

They have helped me to expand my knowledge and develop myself further. I have now finished my level 2 qualification and I am now progressing onto my management qualification Advanced Level 3 Hospitality Supervision and Leadership, again with HIT.

Sam’s HIT Trainer Assessor quotes ‘I look forward to helping Sam gain his management qualification and sampling more delicious products from Café Miro. They are all a pleasure to work with’.