Masterchef winner joins NLTG Apprentices for a masterclass session

North Lancs Training Group CIC (NLTG) has a long history in training up people ready for the hospitality industry, and hold masterclasses for their students to help inspire the next generation of young chefs.

Recently the students were treated to a masterclass on how to prepare and cook lamb dishes, with an expert butchery demonstration from Jack Rushworth, from Whittaker’s Butchers in Oswaldtwistle.

He showed them how to get all the different cuts from a half of lamb, and outlined the importance of minimising waste, for sustainability.

Jack said: “I've come to demonstrate cutting up half a lamb for the students here at the North Lancs Training Group.

"It's important to teach chefs how to utilise every part of the lamb, and then none of the lamb has been wasted because that would be unethical and it's not using the full animal.

"The lamb today was from a farm over in Preston, and it's the best of the best.”

Also enjoying the demonstration and around to give help and advice on the cooking was Dan Merriman, last year’s Masterchef: The Professionals winner.

Originally from the Midlands, Dan now lives in Accrington and has worked at both Northcote and the Black Bull at Langho.

Dan said: “I've been invited down today to North Lancs Training Group to talk to some of the apprentices, to be honest as well, to watch a master class on lamb butchery because I think it's pretty cool.

"It's really nice to see this master class today because quite recently I've just developed a new dish, which is a bit of a mutton, anchovy, garlic, wild garlic, bang in season. Absolutely beautiful, and it's lovely to see what somebody else does with the same animal.

“I think in this day and age, it's really hard in any industry, to be honest, to have competent, enthusiastic people who want to learn and progress. So that's why it's vital to really put a spring in people's step and to almost open the doors to hospitality.”

The NLTG students had the opportunity to increase their knowledge base on meat, different cuts and uses, choose a dish to prepare and cook, plus much more.

You can learn more about NLTG and their Apprenticeships, Study Programmes, Traineeships, Commercial Short Courses and Courses for Job Seekers by visiting www.nltg.co.uk or by calling 01254 395 355.