Celebrated chef Ken Hom has hosted a special collaboration with students at Ulster University in a bid to help inspire hospitality students.
On Tuesday evening he was greeted by over 100 guests including members of the local hospitality industry at the Ulster University Culinary Salon, for a “unique dining experience” for guests and a learning experience for students, who had the opportunity to cook alongside the acclaimed chef.
“I’m here to tell the students at Ulster University that they shouldn’t do anything they don’t have a passion for,” Mr Hom said.
“If you want to get into the industry, you have to love it. Today, young people can travel and absorb the atmosphere, food and smells of other countries and come back to places like Belfast to make the food that they have enjoyed elsewhere their own.
Professor Ioannis S. Pantelidis, Head of the Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Ulster University; Professor Gillian Armstrong MBE, Pro Vice Chancellor & Executive Dean of Ulster University Business School; Ken Hom CBE; Dr Laura Wells, Lecturer, International Hospitality Management at Ulster University; Donald Sloan, Chair and Founder of the Oxford Cultural Collective.
“Nothing touches me more than to see a place like Belfast taking off like a rocket. All of you here tonight will benefit from it, people will come to this wonderful city for hospitality, places to stay, and for good food.
“I never dreamt my cooking would make such an impact, but somehow Chinese food has caught the imagination of people in this country. Tonight’s menu is a mixture of east and west, with influence from Chinese techniques and flavours using wonderful Irish produce.”
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Dr Laura Wells, Lecturer, International Hospitality Management at Ulster University said they hoped a visit from Mr Hom would “enrich the students” at the university.
“It was an honour to host Ken Hom at Ulster University and introduce him to our talented Culinary Arts Management and International Hospitality Management students,” she said.
“Within the Department for Hospitality Tourism and Events Management, we seek to create immersive learning experiences that truly inspire and enrich our students and fuel their passion for the industry. It was fantastic to hear directly from Ken, a world-renowned chef and TV personality, about his own career path and his distinct philosophy around the role of food as a catalyst for change.”
Ken Hom CBE pictured with Ulster University Culinary Arts Management and International Hospitality Management students Leslin Joy (left), Lisa Quinn (centre) and John O’Mahany (right).
Professor Ioannis S. Pantelidis, Head of the Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Ulster University also said: “Our Culinary Salons are always such a great learning opportunity for our students and the level of inspiration they get from legendary colleagues such as Ken Hom is priceless as it fuels their imagination as to what they can achieve.
“Ken puts an authentic touch in everything he does and his sense of humour and passion for food merged with his pioneering approach to merging cuisine techniques and flavours showcases what can be done when you have a clear vision, be it in the kitchen or in management and leadership of hospitality brands.”
The visit by Ken Hom is made possible by the support of the Savoy Educational Trust and delivered in partnership with the Oxford Cultural Collective.
Angela Maher, Chief Executive, Savoy Educational Trust added: “The Savoy Educational Trust is delighted to continue its support of the Culinary Salons series at Ulster University. This unique programme enables students to interact with, and learn from, some of the best hospitality professionals in the world.
“It is wonderful to see how well connected the university is to industry and the importance they place on experiential learning within their courses.”