Great Yarmouth Charter Academy welcomes renowned patisserie chef for festive workshop

It's the most wonderful time of the year, and pupils at Great Yarmouth Charter Academy were in for a treat with a special series of workshops aimed at cake makers and patisserie entrepreneurs! The December, the school welcomed a very special guest to help them celebrate the holiday season: Chef Sandra Fulker, a renowned pastry chef from Suffolk and Waveney.

Chef Fulker led a special workshop for the students, teaching them how to make beautiful and delicious Christmas decorations using marzipan, salt dough, and icing. The workshop took place over three weeks, after pupils were shown how to make a fruit cake, and feed a Christmas cake since late November; the students were already buzzing with excitement.

For Chef Fulker, this workshop was more than just teaching the young chefs of the future how to make Christmas treats. It was about giving back to the community and spreading some holiday cheer. She said,

"I'm thrilled to be working with the students at Great Yarmouth Charter Academy. It's such a pleasure to share my love of baking with young people and to help them create something beautiful and tasty to share with their loved ones and family."

The students are equally excited to learn from such a talented chef. "I couldn’t wait to see what we were to be making," said Year 9 pupil Alicia. "I love Christmas, and I love baking, so this is going to be so much fun!"

Head of Technology, Mrs Amanda Buckenham has spearheaded a number of specialist workshops across the year to inspire and nuture the talents of pupils who are thinking about taking A Level Food Science or GCSE Food and Nutrition at the academy in the future. She said,

"I am impressed with the skills that our pupils have gained through this experience. They have learnt how to create beautiful and intricate designs using marzipan, salt dough, and icing. These skills are not only important in the kitchen but also in life, where attention to detail and creativity are highly valued."

As the workshop finished late on Thursday, the students are getting into the holiday spirit, decorating their own cakes and singing Christmas carols. They welcomed Chef Fulker warmly and learnt all about marzipan, salt dough, and icing.

Thanks to Chef Fulker's generosity and expertise, the students at Great Yarmouth Charter Academy are in for a very merry Christmas indeed.