After 12 weeks of training in the city’s top professional kitchens and learning front of house service from the most experienced managers, fifth and sixth year pupils will be bringing all their culinary skills together to cook and serve three-course meals in the likes of the Hotel Du Vin and Chardon D’Or.

This month sees the culmination of the Culinary Excellence Programme, which takes secondary school hospitality students out of the classroom and into the kitchens and dining rooms of Glasgow finest restaurants.

Now in its 15th year, the programme sees 11 schools from across the city matched with 11 restaurants.

The proof of the pudding is always in eating and now the pupils are preparing to serve fine dining lunches and dinners to up to 60 guests this month.

Bannerman High pupils will host 60 guest for a banquet dinner at the Millennium Hotel in George Square tonight. This follow hot on the heels of yesterday’s lunch at the Hotel Du Vin, on Devonshire Gardens, served by Cleveden Secondary pupils.

Guests will include council and education officials as well industry leaders, including Michelin-starred chef Andrew Fairlie.

Eight pupils from Lochend Community High in Easterhouse served a three-course gourmet meal at top chef Brian Maule’s Chardon D’Or restaurant earlier in the week.

Lochend pupil Kimberly Paterson, 16, was in the kitchen at Chardon D’Or helping to prepare the high quality lunch.

She said: “One week we do front of house, and one week we do kitchen. I prefer the kitchen.

“I like cooking. I’ve loved making the desserts.”

Kimberly helped to make the spiced poached pear with a vanilla panna cotta devoured by guests on Tuesday.

She also helped with the main course of duck leg and the tempura tiger prawn starter.

Some of the pupils prefer the poise of service to the heat of the kitchen, as 15-year-old Amy Rennie and Kirsty McNair explained.

Amy said: “It is more exciting being front of house. When you’re serving you get to interact with different people.

“I’ve learnt how to serve the wine as they would in a restaurant, which you don’t do at school, but it is a good experience doing cooking and service and seeing them both together.”

Kirsty added: “I could do this as a part-time job while at college. The course has given us a head start and it is helps with confidence and interacting with people.”

For Chardon D’Or owner and head chef Brian Maule, who has 18 years’ experience in some of Europe’s top restaurants, who has been involved in the Culinary Excellence Programme for eight years, giving the youngsters confidence is the most important part.

He said: “It is a great experience for them to work with adults in a real working environment.

“Whether they come into the trade or not, it gives them confidence in dealing with adults on a level rather than just being a kid at school.”

The meal at Brian’s restaurant was cooked and served to the highest standard; Brian expects nothing less.

He said: “It’s got to be the same as it is in the restaurant normally. I’m motivating them the same as I would my staff.

“To dress 20 plates quickly and keep it hot like they have done today is no easy task.”

“They have been great the last 12 of weeks, the commitment from them all has been brilliant.”

Brian rewarded the pupils’ hard work by personally cooking them dinner in the restaurant following service.

Karen Bryce, Lochend’s principal teacher of hospitality, said: “It is important for the pupils to get out of the classroom sometimes.

“You should never stop learning and coming out to a restaurant like this and working with top people, it is good for staff and pupils.”

This year saw Meaghan Reid take over from Karen as the programme’s development officer.

Meaghan said: “It is a real pleasure seeing the kids start out like shy little mice and then to see the confidence they have now and how much they enjoy it.

“I look forward to working closely with all the schools and restaurants involved.”

Baillie Jean McFadden, who attended the meal at Chardon D’Or, added: “Glasgow’s Culinary Excellence Programme was ahead of its time when it started 15 years ago, and continues to provide the benchmark for similar initiatives across the country.

“It is a measure of the success of the programme that more than 60% of those who have completed go on to a job in the hospitality sector.”