25 May 2021

Students at Fife College are honing their culinary skills in new state-of-the-art facilities after work to upgrade training kitchens at the College was completed.

New purpose-built kitchens, with walk-in fridges and freezers, several brand-new range induction hobs and rationale ovens as well as improved dishwashing facilities and storage areas, are now being used by culinary arts students at the College’s Kirkcaldy Campus.

The work to upgrade the facilities, which has seen three smaller kitchen areas combined into two larger integrated kitchens, was delivered by Marshall Construction and Lovats Catering at a cost of over £400,000.

The completion of the work, which started in February, coincides with culinary arts courses starting to resume in-class teaching following their suspension due to Coronavirus restrictions. 

Level 5 Professional Cookery student Chelsea Fernie is one student already benefiting from the new facilities.

Chelsea, from Glenrothes, said:

“The new kitchens are a big improvement for us, and it’s great being back in the kitchen to learn more new skills.

“I’ve always enjoyed cooking since I was small so I’m really enjoying learning new cooking techniques on my course.”

John Atkins, also on the Level 5 Professional Cookery course, is delighted to get the chance to work in the new kitchens.

John, from Kirkcaldy, said:

“It’s good to be back in the kitchens, especially new ones. It brings a bit of normality back.

“I started two months before lockdown, so I only had that time in the kitchen from this course so it’s great to be back in.”

Eadie Manson, Culinary Arts Lecturer at Fife College, said: “We are really pleased with our new training kitchens. 

“It has been a huge overhaul of the whole department, but absolutely worth it to create these excellent facilities which we believe are some of the best around.

“I’m sure our current students, and those who will join us in the future, will have a fantastic learning experience in these facilities.”

For more information about courses available at Fife College, including culinary arts, visit our course pages.