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- Ashley Probert

Ashley Probert
Department of Birmingham College of Food
Chef Lecturer
Academic qualifications
BA (Hons) Culinary Arts Management, NVQ 1, 2 and 3 Practical Professional Cookery
"Things you鈥檒l most likely hear me say in the kitchen 鈥 鈥淜eep it nice and clean and tidy!鈥 or 鈥淔ire!鈥"

With a background that spans kitchen management, dish and recipe development, and people training and coaching, I bring practical, real-world experience to my Culinary Arts Management classes at UCB. My extensive industry experience includes menu development in schools, managing busy kitchens, and working in Michelin-starred environments, all of which allow me to share real-world scenarios and challenges with my students here at UCB.
I鈥檓 passionate about guiding students from their very first day in a kitchen to the point where they鈥檙e ready to work in some of the world鈥檚 best restaurants. There鈥檚 nothing more inspiring than seeing students develop confidence, skill, and creativity, especially when they start with little experience and go on to achieve remarkable things. I also love the challenge of taking a simple ingredient and finding innovative ways to elevate it to a high standard.

One thing I try to make clear to my students is that working in a kitchen is far from easy. It鈥檚 a tough, high-pressure environment with long, unsociable hours. But the sense of pride you get from a hard day鈥檚 work, knowing you鈥檝e helped create memorable experiences for others, is unmatched. While anyone can cook, it takes a special type of person to handle the demands of professional cooking day after day, serving thousands of people each year.
The proudest moments of my career to date have been watching students I鈥檝e taught walk across the graduation stage, especially those who鈥檝e overcome significant challenges along the way. Understanding the value of a degree or qualification from my own experience, I show my students that success in the industry doesn鈥檛 only come from landing a job in a Michelin-starred kitchen.
In my classes, students are encouraged to be themselves, enjoy the process, and make mistakes. There鈥檚 no such thing as failure, as we can learn and improve from everything that goes wrong. However, those who fail to prepare, prepare to fail. That鈥檚 why I always recommend starting assignments early and planning ahead. Another good habit is to keep your workspace clean and tidy at all times, as this is a skill that you鈥檒l need for your entire career.
When I鈥檓 not in the kitchen, you鈥檒l either find me on the football pitch, catching up on films with my family, or getting lost in an episode of SAS: Rogue Heroes. And not many people know this, but I have a real soft spot for musicals 鈥 Les Mis茅rables and Wicked are particular favourites!