Supporting Student Learning and Wellbeing with Eat Street and The Burnt Chef Project
We were delighted to welcome Alex and Laurel Wibberley, owners of Eat Street, an Island based mobile street food catering company established in 2020, back to the Isle of Wight College recently.
Alex, who studied catering here at The College, has gone on to build an impressive career in the hospitality industry and is now also an ambassador for The Burnt Chef Project. Eat Street has kindly donated a selection of bowls and plates to our Catering Department and has been actively involving our students in conversations around mental health and wellbeing within hospitality. The pair visited the College last week to see our catering students in action.
Championing Mental Health in Hospitality
The Burnt Chef Project, launched in May 2019, was created to tackle mental health stigma within the hospitality industry after its founder witnessed first-hand the intense pressures faced by those working in the sector. Long and antisocial hours, demanding environments, slim margins and constant performance pressures can take a real toll on wellbeing.
A recent survey of hospitality professionals revealed that 84% had experienced mental health issues, with nearly half saying they felt unable to discuss these challenges at work. The Burnt Chef Project aims to change this by encouraging open conversations, improving support from employers and peers, and regularly reviewing workplace policies. Ultimately, it seeks to redefine the hospitality “badge of honour” as prioritising mental health and wellbeing rather than working at any cost.
By involving our students in this important project, Alex and Laurel are helping to prepare the next generation of hospitality professionals with not just technical skills, but a healthier mindset about working in the industry.
From College Student to Business Owner
After studying catering at the Isle of Wight College, Alex went on to work in hotels across the UK before moving into product development for a cruising company. In 2020, he and Laurel set up Eat Street, bringing flavours from around the world to the Island through their street food offering. Today, Eat Street caters for weddings, festivals and events, and has built a strong reputation for quality, flavour and values-led catering.
When we spoke to Alex about his time in education, he shared the key skills he believes are most important to pass on to current students: discipline, structure, and a strong foundation of traditional and core catering skills. These fundamentals, he explained, are essential no matter how creative or modern your food offering becomes.
A Strong Commitment to Sustainability
Through their hard work, Alex and Laurel aim to make Eat Street as sustainable as possible. They run Eat Street as a zero-waste enterprise, choosing environmentally responsible products wherever they can. To reduce waste when catering events, Eat Street cooks to order wherever possible, ensuring food is freshly prepared and nothing goes to waste unnecessarily.
While sourcing all ingredients locally can sometimes be challenging on the Isle of Wight, sustainability remains central to their values and aligns with what they want to leave behind for their children and future generations.
Thank You
We are extremely grateful to Alex and Laurel not only for their generous donation to the Catering Department, but also for their time, enthusiasm and commitment to involving our students in such a worthwhile and important project. Their visit was inspiring and provided valuable real-world insight into both the rewards and responsibilities of working in the hospitality industry.
We look forward to continuing our connection with Eat Street and The Burnt Chef Project.
