Dame Prue Leith meets future chefs and students at Nescot

Dame Prue Leith DBE visited students at Nescot College in Epsom today to share her experience, expertise and enthusiasm with students, including the next generation of culinary talent.

Prue, a chef, author and founder of Leiths Education, as well as a broadcaster and former judge on ‘The Great British Bake Off’, met students and staff and toured Nescot’s award-winning catering and cookery facilities. She also watched students in action, chatting to them as they prepared some of her own recipes in the college’s professional kitchens.

During the visit, Prue spoke about her incredible life, during an ‘in conversation’ session attended by around 250 students from business, catering, art and design, healthcare and media courses. The session, facilitated by Nescot’s CEO and Principal, Julie Kapsalis, included questions about setting up her cookery school, her writing career, including her new book due out in February, and how she moved into broadcasting. Prue also shared personal anecdotes from her time on TV and highlighted the importance of healthy eating and nutrition, an area she has previously advised the government on.

Julie Kapsalis, CEO and Principal at Nescot said “Although many of our students know her from the Bake Off, Prue is a powerhouse business leader, an amazing chef, an author and an educator. Her career is an incredible demonstration of how with determination, resilience and hard work, one person can achieve across several fields. Our Professional Cookery students loved showing her their skills and I know they appreciated her advice, which no doubt they’ll refer to when they’re running kitchens of their own. Prue has shown our students that the sky’s the limit – we’re so grateful for her time.”

Prue Leith said “Nescot is amazing! Truly professional, caring teachers and enthusiastic students.”