Tina Bricknell-Webb is cock-a-hoop. Sadly, it's not because Percy's has been awarded the grant it needs to build its Acadamy of Culinary Excellence - but the next best thing. One of her trainee chefs, Andrew Lester, has just beaten six college-goers to win first place in the student chef category of the British Meat Chef of the Year competition.
The 16-year-old's dish of roast loin of home-reared lamb with lavender and sweet marjoram, thyme and broad bean mash, choggia barbietola beetroot and perpetual spinach - honed in Percy's kitchens - has guaranteed him a place in next month's finals.
"The difference between the ingredients Andrew used and his style of cuisine was evident," says Tina proudly, adding that one of the judges was Germain Schwab from Winteringham Fields in Lincolnshire. "Andrew has only been with us seven months and at 16 he was the youngest there, but he still beat the others - one of them had been at Thames Valley University for the past three years."
The win couldn't have come at a better time. Tina and her husband, Tony, are expecting to hear this week whether the Regional Development Agency will grant them the funds they need to develop their chefs' academy and take on more trainees. Sceptics have questioned whether the Bricknell-Webbs can produce better chefs than local catering colleges - which have low take-up. The couple reckon Andrew's success provides the answer.
Tina has always stressed that the point of the academy is to tackle the local skills shortage at the top end of the market. To this end, the two full-time trainees and one part-timer (aged 15-16) are well educated. One of the students, for instance, has 11 GCSEs, which suits Tina's plan to take bright students and develop them to a much higher standard than she believes some of the catering colleges are churning out.
Besides teaching them the basics, such as butchery skills, and giving them practical experience, Tina aims to give them an insight into the production of food. "I want to show them the overlap between the chef and the farmer, because at the moment there's a huge divide," she says.
With this in mind she's been taking them out of the kitchen on odd days to see how food is processed and sourced. A recent trip was to a meat plant to see sausage-making and they will also go to Seale-Hayne College, near Newton Abbot, to attend agricultural seminars in cross-breeding and cheesemaking, visit the Plymouth Gin distillers and possibly spend two weeks at a vineyard in Italy this summer. "They will pick grapes in return for a jam-packed two weeks of learning about winemaking," Tina says.
The students are paid £65 a week, although this increases as their skills improve. Tina points out they often have to close for the day to go on outings and has little patience with detractors who claim students are an excuse for cheap labour.
She reckons one of the most important things is not to overtire students and to keep their passion alive. To fan their enthusiasm they work just a 40-hour week and she employs support staff to do the washing-up.
Tina is currently advertising for a sous chef. The successful candidate will work 50 hours a week and will be trained up to head chef.
Percy's the story so far
Tony and Tina Bricknell-Webb swapped their chain of betting shops for the world of hospitality 15 years ago.
Since 1996, they have been running Percy's Country Hotel and Restaurant near Okehampton, Devon. They grow nearly all the organic produce themselves, including chicken and lamb, which Tina - a locally acclaimed chef - cooks.
The couple are trying to tackle the skills shortage in the area by setting up a chefs' academy. Nearly everything is in place. Hobart is providing equipment, the Learning & Skills Council has pledged funds of £5,500 per student, and the Duchy College has agreed to be a course verifier.
The Bricknell-Webbs need £1.1m to build the academy. They have submitted a bid to the South West of England Regional Development Agency (RDA) for £800,000, will borrow £250,000 themselves, and make up the shortfall by increasing turnover. The first bid was knocked back, so the waiting continues...
Factfile
Percy's
Virginstow, near Okehampton, Devon
Tel: 01409 211236
Web: www.percys.co.uk
Owners: Tony and Tina Bricknell-Webb
Opened: March 1996
Bedrooms: eight
Restaurant seats: 36 (28 in use)
Estate: 130 acres
Investment: £365,000
Grants to date: £25,000 from South West Tourism (SWT) for the rooms; £40,000 for the new bar; £22,000 this year to upgrade the rooms in local ash furniture. Also, £3,000 from SWT and £2,000 from Business Link to present the academy bid to the regional development agency
Average occupancy: 44%
1 April 2002-3 February 2003 (previous year in brackets)
Turnover: £296,361 (£211,239)
Increase: £85,121 - 40%
Staffing costs: £97,280 (£62,778)
GP: 84% (83%)