Student of the Month Victoria Prewett

Chef Colin chose Victoria as his student of the month for the amazing dish she produced in her final exam. He also commented that Victoria should be commended for the exceptional professionalism she demonstrated during her exam.

Victoria graduated with the Diploma in Plant-Based Culinary Arts in May 2021, so the team invited her back to receive her award and reflect on her time studying at Le Cordon Bleu London, and what her plans are for the future.

Congratulations on winning Student of the Month, how does it feel to be recognised by the teaching chef in this way?

"I was pleased to receive the recognition from Chef Colin, it means a lot as I went into the course with no professional kitchen experience and it shows me that my skills have really developed throughout the course. I really valued the feedback from all of the chefs and I gained a lot from their knowledge and experience over the last few months."

Why did you choose to come to LCB London?

"I chose to come to LCBL because the expertise and reputation of the school appealed to me, but in particular because it offered the Diploma in Plant-Based Culinary Arts. I have always wanted to attend culinary school but after becoming vegan five years ago I wasn’t sure I would be able to find a course that suited me, happily this course ticked the right boxes for me. I particularly liked that the course combined elements of cuisine, patisserie and boulangerie."

What is the most valuable lesson you learned during your time at LCBL?

"Something I wasn’t very confident about before starting the course was plating. I learned that there isn’t strictly a right or wrong way to do it, even the chefs at school have their own likes and dislikes, and that developing your own plating style will come with trial and error. I feel a lot more relaxed and confident about it now."

What has been your most memorable moment during your time at LCBL?

"I really enjoyed the free interpretation lessons and being able to see the variety of what everyone else in the group came up with. It was really interesting to me to see how differently everyone utilised the same few ingredients so creatively."

What inspired you to study the culinary arts?

"I’ve always had a passion for food and spending most of my time cooking in lockdown last year finally inspired me to start pursuing it as a career. Studying at LCBL has given me the knowledge and confidence to work in a professional kitchen and prepared me for the various challenges that may come along with it."

Who is your biggest inspiration in the kitchen?

"I love Yotam Ottolenghi’s style of cooking, in particular his ability to combine different ingredients and cooking methods to maximise the taste of vegetables and make plant-based dishes appealing to everyone."

Where do you see yourself in 2 years?

"I’m hoping to be able to combine my passions for food and travelling and turn them into a career. A bit further in the future I’m hoping to have my own plant-based patisserie one day."

What will you miss the most about being a student at LCB?

"I will miss spending time in the kitchen with the rest of my group and the chefs. Being able to ask the chefs for advice as and when needed, especially on a technique I perhaps hadn’t tried before the lesson, was really beneficial."

What does LCBL mean to you in a few words?

"I really enjoyed the experience of learning both traditional methods and innovative techniques under the guidance of the excellent teaching chefs and the knowledge and skills I learned will stay with me throughout my future career."

Find out more about the Diploma in Plant-Based Culinary Arts, our professional cookery courses and other culinary programmes.