TEENAGERS tucked into a school lunch worthy of being photographed to show family and friends at the exclusive Rockliffe Hall hotel.

Twenty students from the King’s Academy in Coulby Newham, Middlesbrough, spent the morning in The Orangery restaurant at the Hurworth hotel with executive head chef, Richard Allen, who shared with them his advice on the hospitality industry as well as cooking them an alternative school meal.

The event was part of a series launched by the five-star resort to work in the local community to encourage more young people to consider working in a hotel as a career option.

Mr Allen treated them to a lunch to remember using some of the key ingredients that make up his Orangery menu including chicken in a wild mushroom sauce and chocolate mousse with strawberries and popping candy.

“There is a very real shortage of young people seriously considering hospitality and catering as a profession so we’re keen to work with our local schools and colleges to show them the types of opportunities that are available,” he said.

“At Rockliffe Hall we are passionate about employing as many local people as possible and showcasing who we are and what we do to young people is an ideal way to do this.”

Mr Allen was appointed executive head chef of The Orangery in January and is one of the UK’s most celebrated chefs, having held a Michelin star from 2011 to 2014 and three AA Rosettes for eight years.

Barbara Wilberforce, head of food technology at the King’s Academy, added: “This was a fantastic opportunity for our students to experience lunch in an exclusive setting and prepared to a standard well above their everyday experiences.

"Students had the opportunity to learn from and be inspired by Rockliffe Hall’s team, seeing first-hand the range of opportunities at a top hotel."