A pastry chef from Jannettas Gelateria, who honed his artistic skills for almost 30 years as a colourist on a range of Dundee comics, has created a show-stopping centrepiece for a national event after winning a prestigious scholarship.
Kenny Hutton (51) worked with D C Thomson’s art department before embarking on a catering course with Dundee and Angus and College. Kenny, from Broughty Ferry, is now working full-time with Jannettas Gelateria in St Andrews.
After being one of 12 to secure a ‘Patisserie and Sugar Craft’ scholarship with the Hospitality Industry Trust (HIT) Scotland, Kenny and three of his fellow College students created a chocolate centrepiece for the recent HIT Scotland Discovery Dinner, which was auctioned off for charity at the end of the night, raising £120. The event, which raised a total of £13,500 for the trust, was held at the Old Course Hotel in St Andrews on Thursday 5th May.
Established in 1994, HIT Scotland works to inspire and support the hospitality industry by funding exceptional training experiences for individuals working in the sector. These scholarships will provide the recipients with an invaluable opportunity to improve their skills and progress within the industry.
Kenny and his three peers, who were awarded the ‘Patisserie and Sugar Craft’ scholarship, attended a pastry masterclass at The Cook School in Kilmarnock, run by previous HIT Scholar Helen Vass. Since receiving her scholarship in 2014, Helen has worked with some of the biggest talents in the industry and will compete in the final of the prestigious BBC competition ‘Bake Off Crème de la Crème’.
Kenny said, “It was a brilliant experience, and taught me a lot about pastry, the different processes involved in working with it and preparing it. It’s an experience I won’t forget and which will definitely help as I create new products for Jannettas’ customers. Creativity is in my blood, I’ve always been artistic and want to keep creativity at the core of everything I do – it’s particularly amazing what you can build with chocolate, and how you can dress food to make it look stunning, and I’m so thrilled to have the chance to explore new processes in my role at Jannettas.”
Owen Hazel, co-owner, Jannettas Gelateria added, “Kenny has brought a whole new dimension to what we can now offer our customers. The cakes on offer are well admired and Kenny has certainly helped catapult us into a new and exciting realm. We are also delighted to be supporting local, emerging talent to ensure that the product range we offer continues to evolve and delight our customers.”
Jannettas Gelateria, St Andrews is open between 9am and 10pm, seven days a week. For more information, visit www.jannettas.co.uk
ENDS