Food News with Amanda Killelea

HORIZONS Restaurant at Accrington's Globe Centre is a real-life dining experience expertly run by the star chefs and managers of the future - students of Accrington and Rossendale College.

Every Wednesday the teenage super-chefs transform the fourth floor restaurant for their unique food feast for 50 paying customers.

And the youngsters' professionalism speaks for itself as diners keep flooding back to one of the hidden gems of East Lancashire's culinary map.

As part of their GNVQ course, each student has to create a themed night in the restaurant.

They take charge front of house and are in charge of all their fellow pupils who act as chefs, waiters and bar staff for the night.

The aim is to give the diners the complete food-lover's paradise and make a profit.

So far this year passionate foodies have enjoyed a cowboys and Indians night masterminded by 18-year-old Amber Preston, of Burnley.

Her guests enjoyed Tex-Mex-style food, including spicy bean soup and Dodge City chicken, followed by line dancing? Amber, who hopes her planned career in hotel management will take her abroad, said: "It was very nerve-racking but everything came together. Whatever hiccups there were behind the scenes we managed to sort out and I think all my diners went away happy."

Steven Piessens, 18, also of Burnley, took his guests on a nostalgic journey with such favourites as vegetable soup and dumplings, black pudding and corned beef hash.

His "Surviving the War Years" night took full advantage of East Lancashire's love of traditional favourites and the current trend among top chefs to present good old-fashioned British basics in the country's most fashionable eateries.

Aspiring hotel manager David Taylor, 19, from Burnley, transformed Horizons into an underwater fantasy world for his Atlantis night. Diners enjoyed dishes from the sea, including a tropical seafood cocktail, green lip mussel stir fry, a coral reef of vegetables and malibu ice cream.

Months of planning go into every themed night, with each student striving to create a unique dining experience and impress their customers so that they come back for more.

David said: "I originally came up with the idea for a Waterworld night but it reminded me too much of the film, so I opted for Atlantis. I picked all the dishes on the menu to complement the theme, as well as making it balanced nutritionally and mouthwatering for the diner."

Kirsty Holroyd, 17, of Oswaldtwistle, David's head chef for the Atlantis night, said: "It is a real juggling act as we have to make a profit, make sure everything runs smoothly from the moment our guests arrive until the end of the night and, most importantly, make sure everybody has a good time. A lot of people don't realise we are here and they would have to pay a lot more than £13.95 to get food and service of this quality in a normal restaurant."

The themed nights at Horizons run until Wednesday.

For more details, call the restaurant on 01254 602030.

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