cook24
Crafting Futures in Food & Inspiring Communities
Welcome to Cook24
A gateway to food skills that can change the future of individuals and the communities in which they live. Cook24 is delivered by experienced and inspiring industry professionals working in some of the most successful and creative businesses in Wales.
If you’re thinking of a future in food, we can help you find a way into that exciting and creative world. If you want to bring new cooking skills to your household, community, school, or business, then we are here to make that happen. All achieved through a diverse range of flexible training opportunities tailored to be accessible wherever you are in Carmarthenshire.
Let’s get cooking!
Become a...
Join Cook24 to enhance your food skills, boost your confidence, and embark on a transformative journey in the world of food and hospitality.
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced cook, you’ll be able to find a course for you, with our variety of programs on offer. Looking for a new career path, wanting to engage in your community, or focusing on personal growth, Cook24 creates endless opportunities.
You’ll learn from industry experts, build on skills and specialise in your areas of interest. If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, we provide the support and mentorship needed to start your own food business.
Be part of a passionate team wanting to make a positive change in local communities and hospitality by spreading knowledge and passion for food, cooking, and the industry.
Whether your expertise lies in community based cooking or high end dining, we have a variety of courses on offer and we can find the one perfect for you to lead.
Our aim is to offer a broad grounding in the essential cooking techniques, coloured with invaluable insights into the industry, from people who have succeeded at the highest level in their own fields.
What’s expected from you:
- Be a positive role model for aspiring chefs.
- Able to work well within a team.
- No formal qualifications in catering or teaching needed.
- We’re not asking you to dedicate a set amount of hours, it is completely up to you how many days you would like to work.
Previous Projects
At Cook24, we are committed to creating a positive impact on individuals, families, and communities through our diverse range of food programs. Our initiatives are designed to address various aspects of food education, from home cookery skills to empowering community leaders and supporting local businesses.
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In 2022, Coleg Sir Gar received funding from the UK Government through the Community Renewal Fund, and this is how Cook24 was born.
Cook24 was a response to the shortage of kitchen skills and aimed to support Wales’s vibrant and distinctive food and drink operators through an intensive introductory course; designed to train up staff to a point where they can be productive and creative members of a kitchen team.
This intensive introductory course was delivered by renowned chefs within the hospitality industry, over a 5 week period. Students were mostly kept busy learning in-depth cookery skills from the Cook24 chefs. However, they also had opportunities to take part in food hygiene, barista, and first aid training, wine tasting, and various networking days.
![cook24 chef, Tom Furlong explaining something to a student during a cook24 cooking session]()
![group shot of the first ever cook24 participants]()
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Cook24 ran an exciting cookery workshop for the Scarlets rugby team. This unique experience saw the Scarlets players immersing themselves into the world of cooking, from filleting fish to learning some of our chefs secret recipes. It was a great opportunity to learn new skills, teamwork and delve into the hospitality industry.
![scarlets logo]()
![Scarlets player Javan Sebastian cooking during a cook24 cooking session. Chef Scott Davis watching behind Javan]()
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The Llanelli Railway Goods Shed Trust is a group committed to preserving Llanelli’s industrial heritage. Since 2011, they have been busy restoring the derelict Railway Goods Shed back into use.
In the weeks running up to their Community Cafe opening, Cook24 ran a bespoke course for their staff and volunteers. Providing barista training and Level 2 food hygiene courses. Also working with our team of Cook24 chefs, they produced a menu, highlighting local and seasonal produce. Make sure to pop in and grab yourself a jar of their delicious homemade jam and chutneys!
![goods shed logo]()
![close up of cook24 student making coffee during barista training]()
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Llandeilo primary school boasts brand new kitchen facilities, as well as having a small allotment, and their community foodbank; Bocs Boyd.
Cook24 used this as an opportunity to trial cooking in schools, to spark interest in young cooks, teaching them how to make dishes from minestrone soup to apple pie. Reaching out to the community, we held cookery sessions for the parents and families of the children and even managed to squeeze in a Christmas session for the staff.![Llandeilo primary school logo]()
![Llandeilo primary school students watching intently during a demonstration]()
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Cook24 appeared at several food festivals in 2022 running Cook24 cookery demonstrations with appearances from local professional chefs and past Cook24 students. These events included; Lampeter Food Festival, Llanelli Food Festival, Llandeilo Festival of Senses and A Taste of West Wales Winter Festival.
Our aim was to reach out to communities and spread the word through food. This also gave students a chance to practise the skills they had learnt from Cook24, with a few advertising new food businesses created since completing the course.
![close up shot of chef's hands preparing a plate of food during a cook24 demonstration]()
![Simon Wright holding a mic up to a cook24 stundet while they speak to the crowd during a cook24 demonstration]()
Testimonial
“I really enjoyed it, it’s quite similar in a way when you’re a head chef in a kitchen and you’re teaching young chefs, so it’s literally the same but you got a different spectrum of audience. From the youngsters to the older age groups, so it’s quite nice having the varied mix of people and people really interested in food and wanting to learn more skills ”
- Previous Cook24 Student
Chef Profiles
Jen Goss
After a career in London managing Gastropubs and a delicatessen, Jen followed her life long dream and moved with her family to Pembrokeshire to live on and run a smallholding.
Using homegrown, local and seasonal produce Jen set up her catering company Our Two Acres - she caters for large events like the Do Lectures and runs supper clubs and events. Born of her family love of preserving, Jen has co-written Do Preserve for the Do Book Company. For 5 years she co-ran the kitchen at award winning sourdough bakery Bara Menyn in Cardigan.
Scott Davis
Scott Davis is one of Wales’ most accomplished and experienced chefs. Scott started his culinary journey at Coleg Sir Gâr in Carmarthen before securing an apprenticeship at the Berkeley Hotel in Knightsbridge. During his time in London & New York he had the privilege of working under the likes of some great chefs including Jean-Gorges Vongerichten, Marco Pierre White, Nobu Matsuhisa, Gary Rhodes and Peter Gordon to name but a few - when Scott is asked to describe his style of food he says “well-travelled”.
On coming back to Wales and starting family life, Scott earned rave reviews as head chef at Llys Meddyg in Newport and now has his own event catering company Strawberry Shortcake.
Phil Leach
Phil began his cooking career over 30 years ago and learnt his craft in some of the best kitchens in the South of England, including the legendary Horn of Plenty. He earned widespread plaudits as Head Chef at Combe House hotel, where he led an award-winning team for 7 years, before opening Slice in Swansea, which won Best Restaurant in Wales in the 2022 Good Food Guide.
Phil currently splits his time assisting the teams at Y Polyn in Nantgaredig and The Beach House Gower.
Stephen Terry
Stephen is one of the most influential chefs in modern British restaurant cooking, he honed his skills at several top London restaurants. He’s particularly known for his part in Marco Pierre White’s game changing first restaurant Harvey’s where he was a key figure alongside a young Gordon Ramsay. After stints at Le Gavroche and with Nick Nairn in Scotland he returned to London to open Canteen with White and actor Michael Caine. At Oliver Peyton’s Coast Stephen earned a Michelin star, later taking over at the Walnut Tree where he again earned a Michelin Star.
Tom Furlong
Tom is the owner of three successful hospitality businesses in Cardiff- Milkwood (Pontcanna), The Lansdowne (Canton) and The Grange (Cardiff). A Fine Art Graduate, Tom got into hospitality working both front of house and subsequently in the kitchen while a student.
Tom’s cooking has always been rooted in good ingredients cooked simply and well. After returning to live in Cardiff, and frustrated by the lack of quality independent pubs and restaurants, Tom opened his first restaurant- The Potted Pig in Cardi with his business partner Gwyn and wife Cerys. The Potted Pig went on to win many plaudits and reviews including being included in the top 100 restaurants in the UK in 2012. Since then, Tom has opened five further businesses establishing himself as a successful chef and entrepreneur.
Navi Mudaly
Navi is a chef with a whopping 20 years worldwide experience! He has worked in numerous countries including France, South Africa, Mexico, The Middle East, and the United Kingdom!
Navi is considered by food critics to be one of the country’s top Oriental fusion chefs and has worked at 5* hotels and fine dining restaurants at a Michelin level. One of Navishen’s many culinary specialties is Japanese cuisine and was previously the head chef at Inamo in London. He has also been praised for his innovative menus that combine Japanese home-style and Indian Cuisine.
Jemma Vickers
Having worked in hospitality for many years as front of house, my partner and I bought a cheap plot of land in Spain with a vineyard and winery, growing olives, almonds, fruit, and vegetables. We learned wine making skills along with growing, cooking, and preserving skills with the help of a random collection of books, local knowledge, and instinct.
We have now replicated our vineyard tours, wine tasting, and tapas back here in Wales, alongside an outside catering company and leading the cooking for the Cwm Arian community meals project.
Maryann Wright
Wright’s Foods in Llanarthne, it’s a mixture of local food shop and a cafe - simple food prepared with a lot of care and great ingredients. We’re lucky to have a lot of support locally but from further afield too, we’ve been here ten years and have benefited from a lot of UK national press and awards.
I’ve been cooking for a living since my 20’s, always in my own business with my husband Simon, he does other stuff like food writing and broadcasting too. We’ve had three restaurants in the area. Wright’s is 10 years old now, I’m completely self-taught but I’ve also worked with some great cooks over the years, nothing compares to the experience that comes from cooking and working with great raw materials.
Testimonial
“I really enjoyed it, it’s quite similar in a way when you’re a head chef in a kitchen and you’re teaching young chefs, so it’s literally the same but you got a different spectrum of audience. From the youngsters to the older age groups, so it’s quite nice having the varied mix of people and people really interested in food and wanting to learn more skills ”
- Previous Cook24 chef
Get In Touch
If you have any questions or queries regarding the Cook24 project, please email katy.hodge@colegsirgar.ac.uk