Wavelength - Best in Class 2012

Fifteen Cornwall Cornwall Foundation of Promise

Matthew Thomson

matthew@fifteencornwall.co.uk

 

•  Setting the scene •  Point of Excellence – Andy Appleton, Head Chef •  Point of excellence – Gordon Lawrence, Sommelier •  Setting the scene •  Business context - balancing the social and commercial •  Business context – the numbers •  Apprentice programme – Ben Arthur, Training Chef and

ex-apprentice •  The future •  Q&A

Points of Excellence: Andy Appleton – Head Chef

•  Food provenance

•  Kitchen culture

•  Service quality

•  Leading excellence - inspiration

•  Managing tension between being a professional kitchen and a training kitchen

Points of Excellence: Gordon Lawrence – Sommelier

social mission drives performance & culture provenance educating customer training and development / transformation of front of house experience Master of Wine

Setting the scene - people

•  850 applications for programme in six years •  108 apprenticeships completed in six years •  Served over 450,000 meals •  85 year round FTE jobs •  Over 30 local producers engaged •  Touching thousands of lives  with one of Cornwall’s biggest brands  

Setting the Scene - timeline

•  2002-5 Local lobbying – Betty Hale letter writing campaign; local entrepreneur Henry Ashworth offers site and support

•  2005 – Fifteen London visit and agreement to create Fifteen Cornwall

•  2005 – Cornwall College, Restormel Council and Job Centres Plus collaborate to secure funding

•  2006 – Top team recruited, restaurant refurb, May opening

Business context - model

•  Structure: charity owns sole share in private ltd company subsidiary

•  Commercial Methods & Management Processes: performance and bookings management, profit monitoring, operational controls, market led planning

•  Franchise: spirit more important than letter; use of name, access to contacts and Jamie’s stardust and engagement in programme

•  Social purpose driving Business value: staff motivation, USP, strategic focus

Business context - numbers

Restaurant turns over c £3.5M p.a. c. 10% profit Gift Aided back to charity = £350k Catalyst for public funding revenue c £295k p.a. Contracts and commissions – payment by results Unit costs approximately £34k per apprentice p.a. Comparable costs of custody (£72k) and benefits (£52k) Balancing social and commercial value in the numbers

   

Apprentice programme

•  Recruitment and ‘Boot Camp’ •  Cornwall College – VRQ and NVQ •  Kitchen Induction – basic skills and safety •  Kitchen Service – professional discipline •  Work Placement – web of partners •  Apprentice Week – White hats lead service •  Kitchen completion - finessing •  Welfare and Personal Development – ongoing, targeted,

responsive, tailored •  Job brokerage – placement led – 100% C6

Apprentice programme

Ben Arthur background and journey apprentice life - experience graduation – importance of completion working – relevance of apprenticeship to professional life perspective and approach as training chef

The Future

•  Food – Fifteen Cornwall Front of house Campaign Merchandise Other sites

•  Beyond Food – Cornwall Foundation of Promise application of

Excellence model to other sectors