That Is It From the Culloden

After what has felt like only one month, my work placement at the Culloden Estate and Spa has come to an end. I can honestly say the last six months has been amazing. I have learnt so much from all the chefs working there and I could not be more grateful for it. Over the last month I have been given the chance to work one on one with chefs, upskilling on sections that I am not familiar with and learning new ways of cooking. I started with easy and basic prep and by the end of my experience I was making parfaits perfect and being able to balance three sections in one busy service. It made me realise that I do not need to travel far to get a great culinary experience. It is all based on the amount of time and effort you put into your work and how willing you are to learn new things!






Chocolate writing had to be my favorite part of the work days there. It was so great to learn something new about myself. I never knew i had a steady hand until I began writing the slates. I realized that I am actually good at pastry. Some desserts were extremely popular and required me to make them every day. Which got me into the routine of lining pastry bases, making fillings sometimes twice in a day. It let me learn how to time my food better.

   
 The accommodation that I stayed in was nice and reasonably priced. It was very convenient to stay in the hotel. After work it was nice to just be ten seconds away from your room. It was also a great way t make friends, especially when you are on your own in the beginning.

If I would recommend anything it would be to fill out the Erasmus forms straight away. It saves the hassle of trying to contact the hotel later. When I spoke to HR about mine they were so efficient and quick at getting everything sorted. I would also recommend going out and exploring Belfast. It has great sites and lots of things to do such as the brilliant Titanic experience and of course the great Belfast city. It was a great experience that I would recommend in the future.