insideSUSSEX Magazine Issue 10 - December 2015 | Page 16

NEWS

MICHELIN-STARRED CHEF JOINS
PETWORTH’S LECONFIELD RESTAURANT
The Leconfield restaurant in Petworth is thrilled to announce that
Michelin-starred chef Paul Welburn has joined them to head up the team
as their new head chef.
Paul has trained with some of the best chefs in Britain and has years
of Michelin-star cooking behind him, having held a star for five years at
London restaurant W1. Cooking lightly nostalgic British dishes with a
modern twist, his career has already spanned top London restaurants,
taking him a long way from his Scarborough roots.
In 2014 he appeared on the BBC’s Great British Menu. He says: “For me,
it was the most exciting, amazing thing – even up there with earning the
star. It was a very proud moment for my family and my region, and also
for the chefs who trained me. It also felt like all my hard work had paid off;
finally, I had a chance to showcase wha t these people had given to me
and to give it back.”
Wherever possible his dishes highlight the best of British seasonal
produce – both farmed and foraged –something important to Paul's
identity as a chef and that he describes as his ‘big thing’. He is really
enjoying meeting and working with the fantastic local producers and
farmers in the South Downs and Petworth area.

CHICHESTER APPRENTICE WINS REGIONAL FINAL
OF NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP AWARDS 2015
Freya Ward, 22, who recently completed her
apprenticeship at Napier Partnership Limited
fought off stiff competition from 12,000
apprentices throughout the South East to
be announced the regional winner of the
Intermediate Apprentice of the Year 2015.
Freya will now go through to national judging
in the hope of becoming a national finalist.
The awards, now in their 12th year, are run
by the National Apprenticeship Service and
recognise excellence in two areas: businesses
that grow their own talent with apprentices,
and apprentices who have made a significant
contribution to their workplaces.
On accepting the award, Freya said: “I
am so proud to receive the South East
Intermediate Apprentice of the Year Award
2015. Winning this award has given me even
more determination to support young, local
professionals and local businesses throughout
their apprenticeship journey.”
Freya was chosen as the winner in recognition
of the outstanding contribution she has made
to Napier Partnership Limited since joining
as an apprentice in 2014. Throughout her
apprenticeship, Freya has presented the
benefits of apprenticeships through various
local Federation of Small Businesses events,
multiple blog posts, and a webinar and video
for Chichester College.

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