Students help Ramsay in kitchen

The students worked with Gordon Ramsay's team for two days

Students from a college in Lanarkshire were drafted in to help TV chef Gordon Ramsay prepare a charity gala dinner for 250 guests.

Seven students from Motherwell College were selected to work with the Michelin star chef on a six-course meal for the Scottish Spina Bifida Association.

Ramsay is honorary patron of the charity and brought in three top Scottish chefs to cook the meal.

He then suggested they recruit catering students to lend a hand on the night.

The dinner was held at the Glasgow Science Centre last Thursday, and hosted by Gordon Ramsay and his wife Tana.

The students worked with chefs Willie Pike MBE, Joe Queen and Steven Docherty, for two days, helping prepare the menu.

'Best meal'

The chefs used the finest locally sourced food and game and guests were also able to watch what was happening in the kitchen via a live "Hells Kitchen" video link.

Lecturer Jim Mullen, who accompanied the students on the night, said: "At first they were a bit reticent and a bit in awe, but they worked really hard in the kitchen for nearly 12 hours.

"Gordon Ramsay was not like he appears on TV, swearing and the like.

Gordon Ramsay is honorary patron of the Scottish Spina Bifida Association

"He was charming, an absolute gentleman, and gave the students career advice."

He added: "When he told them the meal was one of the best he had ever eaten they were just ecstatic, really over the moon."

Hazel Gardner, one of the students working at the event, said "It was amazing and exciting, but exhausting. I have never done anything like that before. It was a great experience."

Motherwell College's hospitality and professional cookery department attracts students from throughout the UK and overseas.

Its new campus at Ravenscraig has kitchens and a training restaurant where students hone their culinary skills.

Principal Hugh Logan said: "This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for any budding chef.

"It really is the thing dreams are made of, and a great honour for the college and our students to be involved in such a fantastic event under the eagle eye of Gordon Ramsay."

He added: "I am delighted that Motherwell College's reputation has reached the attention of such high calibre chefs."