In the press: Mitchells & Butlers’ kitchen programme gains royal seal of approval

by Nov 1, 2019Alumni news

Mitchells & Butlers has received a royal accolade for its efforts in recruiting and nurturing chefs to work in its kitchens.

The 1,700-strong pub and restaurant chain set up a ‘Chefs Academy’, offering level 2 and 3 apprenticeships, in response to a chef shortage exacerbated by Brexit.

The programme has significantly boosted kitchen staff retention rates in the business since its launch.

And this week it was presented with a Princess Royal Training Award by HRH Princess Anne in London after being recognised as one of 44 UK-wide organisations delivering outstanding workplace training.
 
Mitchells & Butlers credits the culinary programme, which includes masterclasses with award-winning chefs, with helping it achieve a 70% retention rate, compared to 12% for chefs in the business not undertaking the programme.
 

Other news stories

Case Study: Travis Perkins trailblazing in the construction sector

Travis Perkins plc, one of the UK’s leading builders merchants, has been proactive in tackling the challenges facing the construction industry, with a significant focus on decarbonisation and the need to adopt more modern methods of construction; as well as...
Read More

HRH The Princess Royal visits Xtrac Academy

Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal’s visit to meet recipients of her eponymous Princess Royal Training Award, assessed by City & Guilds she serves as president, was accommodated by the motorsport & automotive transmission technology specialist Xtrac at its...
Read More

Princess Royal Training Awards recipients honoured at St James’s Palace

On Thursday 24 November, we celebrated the very first Princess Royal Training Awards recipients at St James’s Palace. The Awards were presented by HRH The Princess Royal and recognise organisations in the UK that have created lasting impact by successfully linking...
Read More

Upskilling: the key to fighting UK business uncertainty, skills gaps and productivity lags

It’s safe to say that UK businesses are facing a period of unprecedented change and challenges and it doesn’t look like it’s going to let up any time soon. Despite rising slightly in 2018, our productivity still lags behind our European neighbours and two years of...
Read More

New for 2018: hands-on workshops announced to help with your application

Due to popular demand we are running a number of workshops to offer practical help and support to anyone thinking of applying for a Princess Royal Training Award in 2018. You will have the opportunity to get ideas and support on how best to apply and we...
Read More

Leading with purpose – lessons from UK businesses

It’s easy for a company to plaster its purpose on the wall. It’s much harder to embed that purpose in staff. So how do companies do it? Leaders from some of the UK’s most purpose-driven companies gathered in October to share their experiences. The panel was part of...
Read More

In the press: Using training to respond to new challenges

If 2017 taught us anything, it’s that none of us knows what the future holds. We can make as many predictions as we like, but the reality is that life will always throw the unexpected at us. That’s true on a personal level, but it will also sound familiar to anyone...
Read More

Princess Royal Training Awards 2023 Recipients: in the press

Here is a roundup of the media coverage following the announcement of the 2023 Princess Royal Training Awards recipients. National news FE News:...
Read More

Demonstrating the impact of outstanding training with The Princess Royal Training Awards class of 2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5gV1a1JPBw It’s not often you can bring a range of employers together in a room from large multinational banks to small charities devoted to the welfare of donkeys; this is what makes the Princess Royal Training Awards so unique. Now...
Read More

United by purpose – a letter to Princess Royal Training Awards applicants from Princess Anne

It’s fair to say, that no one alive has ever experienced a time like this.  You have to go back to the post-WW1 flu, the cholera epidemics that would lead to modern sanitation, The Black Death and the great plagues.  For all of us, it really is unprecedented, and it...
Read More

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

HRH The Princess Royal celebrates best-in-class workplace training in 10th anniversary year for Awards

HRH The Princess Royal, President of the City and Guilds of London Institute, awards employers for outstanding training and skills development programmes which have positively impacted organisations, people and wider society. 15 August 2025: City & Guilds has...
Read More

HRH The Princess Royal discusses the importance of creating aspirations for young people

n this video series, Kirstie Donnelly MBE, Chief Executive of City & Guilds, talks with our president HRH The Princess Royal about the importance of skills on society, about the role we play as an organisation and about the Awards that we created in her name – The Princess Royal Training Awards – which are celebrating their tenth anniversary.

Read More

HRH The Princess Royal discusses the diverse range of Princess Royal Training Award organisations

In this video series, Kirstie Donnelly MBE, Chief Executive of City & Guilds, talks with our president HRH The Princess Royal about the importance of skills on society, about the role we play as an organisation and about the Awards that we created in her name – The Princess Royal Training Awards – which are celebrating their tenth anniversary.

Read More

HRH The Princess Royal discusses the value of City & Guilds to society

In this video series, Kirstie Donnelly MBE, Chief Executive of City & Guilds, talks with our president HRH The Princess Royal about the importance of skills on society, about the role we play as an organisation and about the Awards that we created in her name – The Princess Royal Training Awards – which are celebrating their tenth anniversary.

Read More

HRH The Princess Royal discusses the changing world of skills

In this video series, Kirstie Donnelly MBE, Chief Executive of City & Guilds, talks with our president HRH The Princess Royal about the importance of skills on society, about the role we play as an organisation and about the Awards that we created in her name – The Princess Royal Training Awards – which are celebrating their tenth anniversary.

Read More

A decade of excellence and a room full of inspiration – Princess Royal Training Awards Skills Share 2025

On 30 April 2025, City & Guilds hosted its second-ever Skills Share event – this time at the stunning Goldsmiths’ Hall in London – marking a major milestone: 10 years of the Princess Royal Training Awards. With over 130 Award recipients in attendance, the event was not just a celebration but a forum for shared learning, inspiration and reflection on what a decade of investment in skills development really means.

Read More

Ten Years of the Princess Royal Training Awards

In the tenth year of the Princess Royal Training Awards we take a look back at some of the recipients including Balfour Beatty, Fifty Shades Greener and Pret A Manger to find out what achieving the standard means to them and their organisations.

Read More

Foundation & Friends Podcast: Celebrating a Decade of Transformative Training Excellence with Legal & General

Read More

Case study: OnSide Youth Zones

Hear about Princess Royal Training Award recipients OnSide and their award-winning youth centres in this video.

Read More

Case study: Pret A Manger

Hear about Princess Royal Training Award recipients Pret A Manger and their award-winning Pret Academy in this video.

Read More

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This
Princess Royal Training Awards
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. For more information see our Privacy Policy.