From the Court to the Kitchen: Raiders’ Players Get a ‘Slam Dunk’ Crash Course in Cooking

Fearing for his players’ health Raiders’ Director, Richard Mollard, approached the College to arrange a bespoke cookery lesson to help the athletes to triumph both on the court and in the kitchen.

Richard said: “For many of our players this is their first experience of looking after themselves and when it became apparent that they were relying on the kettle and toaster, I contacted City College Plymouth to see if they could help!

“Nutrition is incredibly important for any athlete and eating right is a large part of staying fit. The cookery course has equipped the players with the skills and knowhow to become more independent and I now feel confident they will all be game-ready.”

“I’d like to thank City College Plymouth for their support. It has been a great experience for our players and fantastic to be able to tap into the wealth of knowledge of the College’s chef lecturers; they really are experts in their field.”

The players were taught how to make a simple pasta dish before being challenged to create a gourmet turkey burger with a signature ‘Raiders’ relish. The burgers were served in the College’s popular PL1 Restaurant where some of the players’ teammates and Raiders’ coaching staff awaited eagerly to sample the creations.

“I feel I’m a bit responsible for this cooking course, said Shawn Shelton, who is a forward on the team. “Richard was appalled to find out I was living off a diet of sugar sandwiches so was determined to give me a crash course in cooking.

“I really enjoyed the whole experience, from cooking in the College’s fantastic facilities to learning from the expert chef lecturers who were so patient and knowledgeable. I’d love to do this every week – I might even sign-up to a catering course!”

Those interested in improving their culinary skills can find out about the wide range of courses available at City College Plymouth’s Open Day on Saturday 3 November, 10.00am to 1.00pm at Kings Road.