Disciples Escoffier Cocktail Party 2025

From the soft sigh of champagne corks last year to the sizzle of scallops this year, each moment at this event marks another step in my culinary journey. The setting changes, but the passion never fades.

It was my first time prepping fresh raw scallops and shucking oysters. Chef Ashley taught us how to shuck the oysters and he mentioned he used to do a lot of oyster shucking himself. It looked so easy when he did it, but it definitely was not as easy as it seemed. Both the oysters and scallops were incredibly fresh, and it was also my first time seeing such large scallops, beautifully sourced from Scotland.

Chef Aldo demonstrated how to prepare the scallops with great precision, explaining every detail with patience and clarity. He is truly one of the most inspiring teachers I have met.

Chef Paulo, the Head Chef in Pillars Kitchen, has always been a great mentor who has guided us over the past two years, and I am grateful to have had the chance to be under his mentorship during my first national competition.

I was happy to work alongside my peers Zain, Mustafa, Mrunal and Ross. I have worked with Zain on a few events now, and he is a passionate and talented chef whom I truly enjoy working with. Mustafa excels in everything he does and, jokingly, turned into a “Deliveroo rider” when he came into the kitchen asking for takeaway boxes so guests could bring home their cakes. I have known Mrunal the longest, and he is an exceptional pastry chef. I first met Ross when I was in my first year and he was in his second; I never thought I would have the chance to work with him, but I am so glad we did.

It was also great to see Ben Purton, who recently launched his own consultancy. Congratulations to him on this new chapter. His drive, passion and leadership continue to inspire all of us in the hospitality industry. I also caught up with Alfred, who just graduated from our course last summer. Both are such good people.

A huge thank you to Ashley, Michael, Paulo, Aldo, Nathan, Giovanni, Laura, the Pillars team and the University of West London for this wonderful opportunity and for sharing your knowledge with us. It was a long, long day but we did it as an amazing team.

Every event feels like a new chapter in my culinary journey, filled with passion, learning and the privilege of working alongside incredible chefs and teammates.