THE main aim of 'The Restaurant’ at Borders College, is to assess students on their practical skills in a realistic working environment. With that in mind it is important for students to have customers to prepare, cook and serve their food too. That’s why staff and students would very much like to welcome customers to come and dine, either at lunchtime on Monday, Thursday and Friday from 12noon or in the evening Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings, from 6pm, at a very reasonable price.

Within the kitchen and restaurant each student team is led by a Head Waiter or Head Chef, who are usually third year students. They act in a supervisory role under the auspices of the lecturer.

The Head Waiter and Head Chef are responsible for the planning of the menu, ordering and preparation of the food, direction of their fellow students, cooking and service. The Head Waiter and Head Chef are assessed on their managing skills and abilities.

Students in the kitchen team will have the opportunity to learn and practice a range of skills, this may be in preparing or presenting food or using various cookery methods, whilst the service team in the restaurant are building on their hospitality and customer service skills.

The restaurant, which is located at our Scottish Borders Campus in Galashiels is designed to allow customers to enjoy a meal in a relaxing, well designed atmosphere, whilst food is prepared in the kitchen. As it is primarily a training restaurant, members of the public can enjoy a three course lunch plus coffee for £6 and dinner for only £7. 'The Restaurant’ also from time to time sends out information with details of special offers and events plus sample menus. Anyone can join our mailing list to receive this information by following the link on the Borders College website - www.borderscollege.ac.uk - and as a bonus names are drawn from the mailing list every month and the lucky winner received a voucher for a meal for two at the restaurant.

If you have the time, coming for a meal at the Borders College restaurant is a great 'win, win situation’, customers enjoy a lovely meal at a reasonable price and students have the opportunity to learn. Meanwhile, catering students undertake Barista training, a great addition to their learning experience at Borders College and gaining them an additional recognised Level 2, City & Guilds qualification that will enhance their employability skills.

Seven Level 3 Catering students undertook the two day course, learning about the origins, history and production of different types of tea and coffee, followed by demonstrations in making the drinks they will need to produce for their assessment.

They also learn how to use and take care of their equipment, then it’s all about practicing for their assessment.

At the end of the course they had to undertake a written test and then a practical assessment whereby they had to make seven different drinks and serve them to customers within 12 minutes. No mean feat, as they have to ensure that the drinks have the correct balance of coffee or tea, making sure that the water or milk is correctly balanced and at the right temperature, not forgetting on some, the correct amount of froth, with the latte being finished off with some lovely latte artwork.

The students benefited from this training by achieving an employability award in addition to their Level 3 qualifications and they can now give their future customers at The Restaurant at Borders College a great barista experience.