Prized chef on tour to inspire next generation

An award-winning chef is trying to inspire the next generation of culinary talent by training apprentices and visiting schools in Norfolk.

Daniel Smith, who has featured on BBC Two's Great British Menu, owns The Wildebeest in Stoke Holy Cross near Norwich.

He is working in partnership with Norwich City College, having trained 25 apprentices, and he spoke to pupils at Acle Academy last week.

Despite high levels of youth unemployment and continued restaurant closures in England, Smith said a career in the industry was still possible with "time and perseverance".

Office for National Statistics research in February estimated that there were 957,000 people aged 16-24 who were not in education, employment or training.

Separately, in August, research for the hospitality sector said the number of restaurants in Britain had decreased by 4.2% in the space of a year.

"The industry is very difficult at the moment," admitted Smith, speaking to the BBC.

"[But] I can't say it's all hard — if you put the effort in, you put the time and perseverance into what we do, you definitely will succeed."

Smith said he left school with a grade C in cookery.

But at 23 he was head chef at Morston Hall near Sheringham, working under Galton Blackiston, when the restaurant was awarded a Michelin star.

He opened his first restaurant, The Ingham Swan, in 2010, also near the Norfolk coast, before taking over The Wildebeest in 2015.

The right ingredients for a job in the industry were a can-do attitude and hard work, he explained.

"Our success story of having no qualifications maybe gives people hope that they do have a chance," he said.

"You don't have to have loads of academics to achieve that. If you work hard generally, if you put a little bit in, you get a little bit out."

Nineteen-year-old apprentice Leo, who also visited Acle Academy with his mentor, said his passion for food was inspired by his heritage.

"Mentally and physically you are stood up 12, 13, 14 [hours] a day; you get the stress of stacking up orders and it's tiring, but it's worth it. It's fun.

"My dream is to work in Japan where I'm originally from because the food is unbelievable — the cuisine is the best in my opinion."

Fellow apprentice Liam pointed out there was no "massive debt" at the end of an apprenticeship.

"My dream is to go to London but I need to still keep learning and keep getting better," said the 17-year-old.

"I've always had a passion for cooking but being an apprentice is in my eyes the best way to go forward with it."

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