A Recipe for Success for Daniel

Truro School Sixth Form offers a wealth of opportunities to support future careers and life plans. Alongside traditional A-level subjects, students can also experience life as a chef through our Leiths Cookery School – a subject many students choose to pursue.

Daniel, a current Year 12 student, is undertaking his Leiths training alongside employment at the local Truro restaurant, Petty Fours. He has been working at the Michelin-listed restaurant since the summer and continues his role in the evenings alongside his studies. Experiencing both the Leiths environment and a busy commercial kitchen has given Daniel two complementary sides of training, helping to prepare him for a future in the chef industry.

An aspiring chef, Daniel has a placement lined up in France at a culinary school and long-term ambitions of working aboard yachts. He is currently awaiting confirmation of his place at Gastronomicom in the south of France, where mornings are spent learning the tricks of the trade and afternoons are dedicated to learning French. The programme includes six months of training, followed by a six-month internship in a French Michelin-starred restaurant. Daniel is excited to begin this journey, which also includes cultural visits, vineyard trips and learning about food both on and off the job.

Daniel’s decision to stay in the Sixth Form was strongly influenced by the opportunity to study at Leiths Cookery School.

After starting an entry-level position as a KP at The Foxes Revenge in Year 11, he quickly aspired to pursue a career in the industry. He particularly enjoys the opportunity to cook every week, with a timetable that includes two to three hours of cooking and one to two hours of practical work with Head of Cookery, Ms Petty.

Alongside his diploma, Daniel is studying A-level Economics, PE and Geography, and has taken part in a wide range of co-curricular activities, including playing county cricket and serving as vice-captain of the football team. Earlier in his school career, he completed his Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and played rugby, making the most of the many opportunities available.

Daniel has said he is pleased he chose to stay on for A-levels, having found the support on offer to be excellent and valuing the increased independence of Sixth Form life.

Working alongside his studies has given Daniel valuable insight into the industry. He has relished the opportunity to work with Head Chef Alfie in his current role, learning how to produce dishes commercially and at scale.

Through Leiths, he has developed strong preparation and presentation skills, and particularly enjoyed the fish filleting session with the Cornish Food Store. Preparing meats and larger cuts remains his preferred area.

We wish Daniel every success with his culinary school application and look forward to seeing what the future holds for him.