When a third UK lockdown was announced at the beginning of 2021, as a nation we all knew we were in for a tough few months. The hospitality industry has suffered tremendously during the pandemic and it’s been particularly hard on professional chefs and restaurants who haven’t been able to open their doors to customers for months. But with the recent closures of UK schools and colleges, it’s also been a challenging time for students and teachers who have had to adjust to online lessons and remote learning practically overnight.

Supporting Our Own

Here at Grunwerg we feel incredibly grateful that we’ve been able to adapt our services and remain operational during the pandemic but we also feel we owe it to our friends in the hospitality and catering sector to do something to support them during this difficult time. In September last year, a sum of £10,000 was raised by our team as a charitable contribution for Hospitality Action, which specifically looks after those in hospitality who are in need as a consequence of the impact of the pandemic.

More recently, we’ve been looking at ways in which we can support the education sector with our Brand Ambassador, Kieron Murphy reaching out to catering schools and providing support in the form of complimentary online demos and knife skills.

Support For Teachers & Students

Grunwerg Brand Ambassador, Kieron Murphy has a wealth of knowledge in the hospitality industry having previously worked as a head chef in London and Birmingham for more than 10 years. He is currently working with the likes of Global Knives UK, Japanese premium brands Tamahagane and Kasumi Knives plus Grunwerg’s own major knife brand, Rockingham Forge.

Kieron also works closely with the acclaimed Roux Family who have been friends with Grunwerg for many years through their association with Global Knives. He is currently working with catering colleges and hospitality lecturers around the country, providing his knowledge and expertise in knife skills, knife sharpening and product care.

This month, Kieron has worked with 11 UK food colleges and due to popular demand, he has more than 20 online demonstrations in the diary for February and March.

“Life is challenging for everyone at the minute but what’s really important right now is supporting kids and keeping them motivated. I’m a father of two and I know how easy it is for kids to switch off and lose interest. If I can make online learning more fun and engaging for even just a handful of students, I’ll be happy.” – Kieron Murphy, Brand Ambassador

If you’re interested in online knife skills and sharpening demos for your school or college, you can email our brand ambassador Kieron Murphy.