Kirsty Hanley

I loved college! Maybe that’s a little geeky to say, but it was probably two of the best years of my early life.

Why did you choose to study at Kendal College?

I began at Kendal College on the Level 2 Diploma in Professional Cookery; I did this for one year and then went on to my second year and did the NVQ3 in Hospitality Leadership and Supervision. I loved college! Maybe that’s a little geeky to say, but it was probably 2 of the best years of my early life. Leaving school was a big decision, and it took a lot to think about, but once I started college it just felt so much better, you were treated more like an individual, and you were taught to think for yourself and look after yourself.

What did you enjoy about your time at Kendal College?

It made me much more of an individual and how to have my voice and hear it. The tutors and peers really pushed each other to get the most out of what we were doing in our spare time, and also maybe compete a little against each other! I was lucky enough to be part of the Culinary Team in college and travel to Dubai, what a fantastic experience and a tremendous way to finish two great years. That opened my eyes more to the outside world and also to what other countries had to offer for our industry.

What have you been up to since finishing your studies with us?

After college, I started out in a part-time job at The Punch Bowl at Crosthwaite, leaving there to take a full-time position at Linthwaite House as a commis, progressing to Chef de Rang and then Supervisor. I then took a big step to The Samling, working hard and learning about cooking styles and progressing my menu knowledge. I was even part of the team that won the Michelin star for the 2015 guide. After making the decision that I wanted to progress further and be a little more independent, I decided that I would need to move away from the lakes and really push myself. I moved to Surrey to a large hotel called Pennyhill Park. There I worked at 2 Michelin star restaurants: Michael Wignall at the Latymer. This is where I feel that I learnt a lot about myself and my knowledge progressed to another level from all the different ingredients and styles that we used. I started as a Chef de Rang and was quickly promoted to Junior Head Waiter. This was a challenging yet exciting move for me, and I feel like I learnt a great deal. We maintained the 2 Stars in the two years I worked there. On a personal note, I also met a lot of my long-term friends here. After this, I moved to Devon and worked at the 2 Michelin Star Gidliegh Park- this was also with Michael Wignall. I took the step into Assistant Restaurant Manager, which was a lot more responsibility and, again, working closely with the Restaurant Manager and Chef to make sure the service was run smoothly and efficiently. After leaving Gidleigh Park, I moved to Moor Hall in Ormskirk. This was a new opening, something that I had never done before, so to be part of an opening team was something that was worth going for, as I starting training and learning about the style and food before any guests came in (which was weird, but made me think about the intricate details and how to get the best out of the service). Here we worked to win a Michelin star within six months of opening. Then the opportunity to come back to the Samling appeared, and also to work with Pete Howarth, who I had met initially at The Punch Bowl. I couldn't turn down the opportunity to work with someone like Pete again. His style of food is exceptional, and I believe in him and his style a great deal, which is what you need when taking the plunge to work closely with him and the team he was bringing. I began as Assistant Restaurant Manager, getting to know the style of everything and also having my input into certain things, working with the team and was then promoted to Restaurant Manager.

Following this, I changed direction, studied Level 2 Diploma is Accountancy with Kendal College and became a Recruitment Consultant for Taste Hospitality Recruitment Limited and then progressed on to PA, HR & Admin at The Bee & Dragon Catering Company.

Who inspired you?

There have been a few people who have inspired me, but the first was my college tutor, as he had experience from Michelin and also restaurant management, so was a tool which I could use for advice and begin my knowledge base, moving to a few of the hotels. If you're going to get far in this industry, you have to not be afraid to work hard, get your head down and concentrate on all the positives you want to get from your career in the long term.