Screenshot of Zoom call of chocolate masterclass by Shona Sutherland for HNC Patisserie students at Fife College. 

HNC Patisserie students from Fife College took part in a special virtual masterclass by award winning chocolatier Shona Sutherland. 

Acclaimed chocolatier Shona demonstrated how to make raspberry chocolate truffle pops over a Zoom call with students who followed along in their own kitchens at home. 

Shona, who owns and runs Taystful in Blairgowrie, also talked students through the methods she uses to create lining moulds for individual chocolates.

The event was funded by a Savour St Andrews bursary, awarded at a special St Andrew’s Day dinner event back in November held at the Old Course Hotel. The prestigious event also offered a number of students the opportunity to make petit fours with Michelin Star Chef Geoffrey Smeddle from the Peat Inn.

Students from a range of catering programmes were involved at the dinner which brought together supporting businesses from in and around the town for a fabulous collaboration between the hospitality industry, producers from across the country, and the further education sector in Fife.

Savour St Andrews is the successor to the St Andrews Food and Drink Festival, which started in 2012 aimed at organising events around St Andrew’s Day.

It is now a stand-alone project co-ordinated by Viv Collie and driven by a small and dedicated team, including Ian MacDonald, formerly executive chef at St Andrews Links, and now the body’s food and beverage manager, and Martin Hollis, executive head chef at the Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort and Spa

Viv said: “We are absolutely delighted that the patisserie students were able to use the scholarship money so effectively and with such a wonderful tutor.

“Shona’s work is acclaimed all over the country, and it was amazing that the session was held online from the students’ own kitchens. The truffle pops look fabulous!

“It is always a delight to involve Fife College in our activities, and they were able to gain some invaluable experience working in the kitchen and front of house at our St Andrew’s Day dinner at the Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort and Spa last November.”

Lyn Gold from the Adam Smith Foundation, which looks after the scholarship programme at Fife College, said: “The partnership we have with Savour St Andrews gives our students fantastic opportunities, including working with some of Scotland’s most talented and prestigious chefs.

“It was great, despite the challenges of the current situation, that the bursary funds were able to offer students this amazing opportunity to be tutored by Shona in this way.

“We are very grateful to Savour St Andrews for their ongoing generous support and look forward to our students being involved in similar opportunities in the near future.”

To find out more about culinary arts courses available at Fife College visit our course pages.