1 July 2025
Talented Culinary Arts students from Fife College have gained invaluable real-world experience after supporting a prestigious VisitScotland dinner hosted at The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.
The event at the historic venue brought together young golfers, VisitScotland directors, and senior R&A staff for an evening celebrating Scotland’s global role in sport and tourism. As part of their industry work experience, Fife College students from Level 4 Bakery and Level 5 Professional Cookery courses were invited to assist in the delivery of the event alongside the Club’s hospitality team.
Students Natalia Fraser, Rebecca Filshie, Matthew McLauchlan and Kenzie Crawford played a key role throughout the evening. They assisted with the setup, served arrival drinks, and helped deliver a seamless dinner service, including plate delivery, wine pouring, and guest liaison. As part of the experience, they also received a private tour of the historic Clubhouse, gaining insight into its rich legacy.
Natalia said:
“The dinner was a great opportunity to get acquainted with real conditions and communicate with the team and managers who gave advice and shared their experience. It was a really good opportunity to show and prove yourself.”
Darren Trimble, Hospitality, Tourism and Events Lecturer at Fife College, helped set up the experience for the students. He said:
“Our students thoroughly enjoyed this experience, which gave them an authentic taste of high-level hospitality in one of the most prestigious venues in the world. Opportunities like this are incredibly valuable – not just for developing technical skills, but for building confidence, professionalism, and an understanding of real industry expectations.
“To work alongside the team at The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews and contribute to an event of this calibre is something I’m sure they will remember for the rest of their careers. We’re extremely proud of how well they represented themselves and Fife College on the night.
“We’d like to sincerely thank the Club for welcoming our students and giving them such a memorable and meaningful opportunity.”
The collaboration forms part of Fife College’s growing partnership with The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, one that aims to give students unique exposure to world-class industry environments.
Michael Sawicki, Members Secretary at The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, said:
“Hospitality is an important part of the service we provide to both members and guests of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, and we hope that the students gained valuable experience through supporting our staff in the hosting of an important event.”
For more information about Culinary Arts and Hospitality courses on offer at Fife College, visit our course pages here.