A restaurant owner was a hot hit with students this week after giving them a masterclass in cooking Indian and Bangladeshi food.
Minnar Miah is the owner of The Mogul in Manningtree, and he came along to Suffolk New College to teach a new generation of chefs fresh skills to help their future careers.
The charismatic culinary expert – who used to cook for the likes of David Seaman and Ian Wright when working at a restaurant called The Last Day of Raj in North London – was keen to share his knowledge to help put the learners on the front foot when it comes to their future careers.
Despite counting Arsenal legends as former customers, Minnar is a Liverpool fan – and he reflected on the fact that when it comes to working in a kitchen, you should never walk alone.
He said: “I came in to work with the students who were cooking for 35 guests at the college. I taught them how to cook five dishes.
In terms of the experience, he added, “The facilities are beautiful. My one piece of advice to the students is that it is hard work, learn and enjoy it.”
Dionne Tapfumanei, 19, from Ipswich, said: “It’s a chance to learn new skills.”
Porsche Clarke, 17, from Felixstowe, said: “We learnt new things about cooking chicken and rice. We get masterclasses throughout the year, so experiences like this are an added bonus (to our course). A big thanks to everyone at The Mogul, as it gives me a greater variety of dishes to cook (in the future).”
Principal and CEO of Suffolk New College, Alan Pease, was one of the 35 lucky guests to try out the food. He said: “We get a number of top chefs – including some who have gained Michelin stars – who come in to teach our students, and it really helps elevate their knowledge. This county and region really is the food basket of the country and has some amazing places to eat – and The Mogul falls into that category.”
He added, “Thanks to Minnar and his team for giving up their time to come and work with our students.”