Imagine travelling from an island in the Caribbean, where there are white sandy beaches, clear blue sea and sunshine all day long, to Devizes at this time of year when the weather is so unpredictable. Mad, right? Well, Lesia Alexander has done just that and is attending Vaughan’s Cookery School in order to gain a professional qualification that is recognisable internationally. She is keen to learn about European and British food and culinary techniques and, with the help of Peter Vaughan, will develop a menu that she will take back to Chatham Bay Resort on Union Island. She and Peter are currently working on how they can use local ingredients (some of which he has never come across before) to produce vibrant new dishes. Already a competent chef, she wants to expand her repertoire and bring some new ideas to the kitchens at the resort. Her employer, Antonio Genchi, CEO, has arranged this opportunity. With a passion for good food, he is keen to see an exciting new menu that will offer something a bit different to the tourists who visit this beautiful island. To enhance her learning Lesia is also taking part in service at the restaurant The Bistro, Devizes plus weddings and events where Vaughan’s Kitchen catering team are providing their tasty food. She is finding the learning very interesting but the weather very cold and unpredictable! Hywel Jones, Executive Chef at Michelin Starred Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa said: “Peter is excellent at engaging with students and his knowledge of ingredients, their source and history are remarkable. “We regularly have some of Peter’s staff here at Lucknam Park and it is evident from their attitude and abilities that they are receiving training of the highest calibre.” Vaughan’s Cookery School became an approved teaching centre for the Confederation of Tourism and Hospitality (CTH) last year and can now offer professional courses. It is one of seven independent cookery schools in the UK, joining the likes of Leith’s School of Food and Wine, Ashburton Cookery School and Tante Marie Culinary Academy, to be validated by this internationally recognised examining body. Lesia is following the Professional Kitchen Essentials course and is here for three weeks. During that time she will complete the Level two Award in Culinary Skills. This is a respected qualification, recognised both in the UK and abroad.