Albert Roux Kitchen to serve Inverness schools and wider community.
The development of an Albert Roux Kitchen within the Home Economics Department of Charleston Academy, Inverness received a boost today when Members of The Highland Council’s City of Inverness Area Committee approved £40,000 Inverness Common Good Funding towards the £200,000 project.
City Leader Councillor Ian Brown welcomed the backing for the semi-industrial catering kitchen, he said: “We are very grateful to Mr Roux for his support for Charleston Academy which he has given for a number of years now.”
He added: “The Common Good Fund Committee is delighted to be able to part fund this project that will: benefit the wider area of Inverness by creating a centre of excellence capable of attracting specialist events; be used by all secondary schools in the Inverness Area; and be available to community groups and adult education classes out with school hours.”
Construction of the new kitchen and installation of specialist equipment is estimated to be completed by the 2014-15 academic session. The new kitchen will give pupils:
Rector of Charleston Academy, Chris O’Neill added: “Our work with Mr Roux over the years has been extremely beneficial for the educational and work experiences of our pupils. The new Albert Roux Kitchen will exemplify equal opportunities by bringing together different age groups and genders. Increasing numbers of boys now wish to pursue careers in hospitality and will embark on this pathway with their subject choices in school. Previously many successful people in the hospitality industry didn’t consider it as their first career choice. As the industry contributes 21% of the Highland’s economy, this can only be good for the north of Scotland.
“Plans are also in the pipeline to integrate aspects of courses on offer once the kitchen is established with our languages department for the promotion of Scottish Studies, Gaelic and French.”
Members of the Councils Inverness West Ward have previously shown support for the Project by awarding £5,000 from the Ward Discretionary Fund