Shrewsbury college hailed best training ground for chefs in the region

The Origins restaurant is attracting more visitors to Shrewsbury College and giving students experience of life in the world of work, according to college principal Steve Wain.

About 60 people attended a black tie gala dinner to mark the official opening of the restaurant, which has been trading since September.

The restaurant is open to the public and students have applied for jobs to work shifts in the kitchen and front of house over weekends. Students can make use of two training kitchens and a production kitchen.

It is part of a £10 million investment in new facilities at the college and is part of a partnership with Heart of England Fine Foods, which will be relocating from Shropshire Food Enterprise Centre at Battlefield to the college in London Road within weeks.

The college also has plans to install a 3G floodlit sports pitch later in the year.

Guests at the gala dinner were treated to a five-course meal produced by catering students at the college. Items on the menu included a celeriac and pear veloute, ham hock terrine, seared local trout, butter poached and griddled breast of chicken and a lemon and thyme arctic roll.

The official opening on Friday was made by Hannah Nugent, a former college student who 10 years on is now general manager of Jamie Oliver's Italian restaurant in Birmingham. She told guests how her career had developed since leaving the college and what it was like working for Mr Oliver.

More than £800 was raised through a charity auction for British Red Cross and Severn Hospice. Prizes included a three-course meal for two at Jamie's Italian and a Salop Leisure weekend break.