Fife College Students Learn about Global Food Innovation at SIAL

A team of Fife College students and their chef lecturer headed to Paris with Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) this month to attend SIAL, one of the world’s largest food events.

Two of the students assisted lecturer chef Scott Lyall in the kitchen on the bustling QMS stand with preparing top quality Scotch Beef PGI and Scotch Lamb PGI to showcase the top quality Scottish produce.

With over 6,330 exhibition stands, Salon International de l’Alimentation  (SIAL) attracts over 150,000 trade visitors from 200 countries, making it ‘the’ event to attend for many of Europe’s most influential buyers.

Chef Lyall and two of the students, Rebecca Rigby and Charlotte Campbell, managed the kitchen on the QMS stand where Scotland’s leading red meat companies were represented.

Along with Chef Lyall, Rebecca and Charlotte, both who are completing a HNC Professional Cookery Programme, served freshly prepared sampler plates using Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb to over a hundred visitors per day for the duration of the fair.

They also prepared a lunch for Richard Lochhead, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and the Environment when he visited the QMS stand. Mr Lochhead enjoyed his lunch so much that he insisted on thanking the chefs personally for the delicious food they had cooked. 

Two other students, Sarah Drysdale and Tara Laing, accompanied by Lindsay Robertson, Curriculum Manager for Culinary Arts at Fife College and Chef Lecturer David Edwards, spent time at the event to take in the latest food innovations from around the globe.

“It was a tremendous opportunity for our students to be part of a major international food event like SIAL,” said Lindsay Robertson.

“Not only does it give them experience to work as a team and to travel, it lets them see first-hand how a trade fair is run. They also have the chance to play a significant part in showcasing our fantastic Scotch Beef and Lamb to visitors from all over the world.”

Student Rebecca Rigby commented: “For me, being part of such a huge global food event was a great opportunity. I wasn’t sure what to expect but I really enjoyed working in an environment which is completely different to what I’m used to.

“I also had a chance to look around the various food halls and stands and take in the different demonstrations. The trip really helped to give me a greater understanding of the industry.”

Caption: Chef Scott Lyall (centre) with Lindsay Roberston (second from right) and Chef Lecturer David Edwards (end right) with a group of students from Fife College at SIAL – one of the world’s largest food events.