November 23, 2011 4.16 pm This story is over 153 months old

Hilton donates pop-up restaurant proceeds to college

Taster session: Hilton Head Chef Alec Maxfield worked with Lincoln College students to run sample evenings to launch their new menu.

DoubleTree by Hilton’s Electric bar and restaurant staff worked alongside Lincoln College’s catering students to offer taster sessions for the new venue in Lincoln.

Head Chef Alec Maxfield and his team took up residency in Lincoln College’s Sessions restaurant on Monday and Tuesday night, sampling their new menu.

Guests were invited to leave a donation to the college’s catering school, reflecting the food and level of service they received and £700 was raised.

Maxfield called the Lincolnshire produce, donated for the event by local suppliers, some of the best he’d ever used and praised the students and the college.

“I thought my college was good but facilities here are the best and despite being nervous at first the students have learnt a lot and you will be seeing some of them working part-time with me at DoubleTree,” said Maxfield.

At the event, the Electric Bar and Restaurant at the hotel was announced to open December 21.

Student Adam Broughton (pictured) relished the opportunity to work in a professional kitchen and has been inspired by his experience.

Broughton said: “I work part-time in a pub kitchen at the minute, but now I’ve learnt what it will actually be like working in a real professional situation; I know it’s something I want to do.”

Sessions Restaurant Manager Elizabeth Cheetham highlighted the benefit in Maxfield and his team’s involvement and championed the work of students at the Sessions restaurant itself.

Cheetham said: “Students get to feed real people, deal with real people and essentially the public give them their industry experience while enjoying some fantastic value food.”

Sessions is open Monday to Thursday between 12:00 and 1:15 pm for lunch and on Wednesday from 6:00 to 7:15 pm and Thursdays from 5:00 pm until 6:00 pm for dinner.

The restaurant is based in renovated former prison cells, with some original features, in a grade two listed building on the college campus.

— Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly named the DoubleTree by Hilton Lincoln Head Chef, whose name is Alec Maxfield. Story updated to reflect changes.