The teenager is offering an ‘exclusive menu’ to diners as part of his ultimate fine dining dream
A teenage college student is set to take over a city centre restaurant after first learning to cook tuna pasta with his mum. Alfie Kennedy, from Bootle, is about take the helm of Voyagers, a “unique” venue hidden inside Parr Street’s Halyard Hotel.
The 19-year-old is a student at Hugh Baird College’s L20 Restaurant. The Bootle college has teamed up with the city centre restaurant to offer its pupils a chance gain hands-on experience in a real-life setting.
For one week only, from Monday, February 24 to Sunday, March 2, an “exclusive menu” will run blending L20’s signature dishes with Voyagers small plates. Overseeing the collaboration will be Voyagers head chef Jake Parry who hopes it will “help create further synergy between education and industry”.
Alfie is just one of a team of aspiring chefs and budding restaurant managers benefitting from the partnership. The level 3 professional cookery diploma student told the ECHO: “I’ve been passionate about cooking from a young age. I learned a lot from my mum who is an incredible cook – the first dish she ever taught me how to make was tuna pasta, but I like to think I’ve progressed since then and can now do my own homemade pasta.
“My ultimate dream is to work in fine dining in France, something I’m determined to achieve. So, having opportunities like this to takeover Voyagers with our own menu is amazing and I’m now looking forward to getting in the kitchen and showing off what we can all do.”
It will be the first time the L20 students have showcased both their cooking and service skills in a Liverpool restaurant. Throughout the week-long showcase, students will join the Voyagers team, including sous chef Alex Innes, working both behind the scenes in the kitchen and on the pass, plus serving in the restaurant.
Level 3 hospitality supervision student Lewis Fairbrother, 18, said: “I love meeting new people and making them smile, so I decided to go down the route of being front-of-house, with my goal being to manage my own restaurant one day.
“Getting hands-on experience at Voyagers will be an amazing opportunity to put my skills into a real-life setting and I’m looking forward to working with the team and seeing them in action.”
For every chicken dish sold, £1.50 will be donated to L20 Restaurant’s chosen charity, The Paper Cup Project, which supports homeless individuals and rough sleepers in the Liverpool region. Guests can further support the cause by adding Invisible Chips to their order for £4.00.
Head chef Jake Parry said: “Our diners are in for a real treat – this is a celebration of creativity and skill, so don’t miss this special event that blends passion, education, and unforgettable flavours.”
