D&D restaurant group to launch hospitality initiative

London-based restaurant group D&D is set to offer a group-wide, two-week long initiative, encouraging young adults to join the hospitality industry.

The group’s My Hospitality World will involve a series of open-door events across their restaurants with a focus on making hospitality an attractive career path.

The D&D restaurant group, founded in 2006 by Des Gunewardena and David Loewi, includes London restaurants Le Pont de la Tour, Bluebird and Coq d’Argent and also has venues in Paris, New York and Tokyo.

London Chairman and CEO Des Gunewardena said that “it’s crucial to our future that we have plenty of young talent eager to come into hospitality. Working in restaurants is viewed by many people as not being an occupation to aspire to and we want to change that.”

Activities as part of the schedule will feature an Apprenticeship Taster evening and training including a Flambé Masterclass.  An event on International Women’s Day (8 March) led by Kim Woodward, the first female head chef in the 126-year history of the Savoy Grill, will focus on increasing the number of female chefs in the industry.

A full restaurant takeover of D&D London’s Blueprint Café by London South East College will offer pupils the opportunity to work alongside head chef Joseph Albina to devise, cook and serve a ticketed three-course lunch to the public.

The initiative follows the group’s work over the last three years in collaboration with charity Inspire which has seen two-hundred Year 10 and Year 12 students undertake a two-week tailored work experience in their kitchens.

My Hospitality World will launch on 25 February.