Telford College catering students wowed judges from the UK’s leading pub company and brewer when they were challenged to cook family-friendly dishes that could one day appear on its menus across the country.

The hands‑on session with Greene King at the college’s Wellington campus gave catering students the chance to show off their skills in front of the company’s development chefs during a fast‑paced morning of creativity, tasting and teamwork.

The brief was for the students to create fresh, exciting, pub‑ready dishes that balanced flavour, cost, seasonality and broad customer appeal.

Students were encouraged to think like professional menu developers – from portion control and plating to allergen awareness and commercial viability – before presenting their ideas directly to the Greene King team.

Robert Cooke, social mobility manager at Greene King, said: “We were delighted to have been invited to support Telford College’s Level 1 and 2 catering students with this pub-themed cooking competition. 

“It was wonderful to engage with the students as they prepared their dishes. The quality, originality and commercial awareness presented too, was excellent.”

Jason Radbourne, food development lead at Greene King, also attended as head judge. He added: “It was fantastic to see the students really get behind the challenge and enjoying themselves in the kitchen.

“I saw some real talent on show, and they should all be very proud of what they created. The dishes were full of flavour, well-presented and showed just how much effort had gone into them.”

Jodie Allen, Telford College’s learner manager for hair, beauty and catering, said: “This challenge was a brilliant opportunity for students to test their skills under industry scrutiny.

“It gave them chance to gain valuable feedback from experienced professionals and understand how national chains shape their menus.

“We’re really grateful for the support from Greene King, who praised the students’ confidence, imagination and ability to work under pressure. It’s a competition which will have taught them so much about life in a professional kitchen.”