Cooking and serving a five-star lunch to 20 guests at one of Glasgow’s most distinguished restaurants… that’s the sort of culinary challenge that would phase Masterchef finalists never mind a bunch of Glasgow schoolkids.

But a group of 20 youngsters from the city’s Springburn Academy proved their mettle by delivering exactly that following 12 weeks of training under top Scots chef Brian Maule at his city-centre restaurant Chardon d'Or.

The pupils were taking part in Glasgow City Council’s innovative Culinary Excellence scheme, which is aimed at equipping young people with the real-life skills they will need to secure employment.

According to Brian, who left school at 16 with no qualifications and is now one of the most respected chefs in Scotland, the scheme is all about building character.

“The best thing about the programme is seeing the change in the participants over the 12 weeks,” he said. “They learn how to speak up for themselves and take responsibility for their actions, and through that they become more confident.

“Many of them will be leaving school in the next year and they will be facing job interview situations – hopefully the skills they have learned here with me will help them with that.

“But it’s also about enjoyment. If they come here to learn, they will have a good time. And that’s what these young people have done.”

The three-course menu cooked by the youngsters featured the sort of local and seasonal ingredients Brian’s patrons are used to, including smoked salmon and fillet of beef.

On the big day, half of the young people worked in the kitchens helping prepare the food, while the other half worked front of house, preparing the tables and serving guests.

Taylor Stott, 16, who worked front of house, said she'd learned a lot.

“I’ve enjoyed this experience with Brian and the team so much,” she added. “We’ve learned specialist skills such as silver service and how to lay a table in a top restaurant that will really make you stand out when you go for a job interview.”

Pupil Mollie Sykes, 16, also worked front of house.

She said: “Brian was pretty tough but he was really approachable as well. Being here has really made me think about what I want to do with my life – I’d love to come and work in a high-end place like this. It’s been a great experience from start to finish.”

One look at the tables laid by Mollie and Taylor show how much they’ve learned. Each is immaculate, from the crispness of the linen to the shine on the cutlery. Thought has gone into the positioning of every item. You can see the pride on their faces as they make the final adjustments before the guests arrive.

Springburn Academy home economics teacher Mairi McVey, said she was proud of all those who have taken part in the programme.

“They have shown their commitment by being here on time and ready to work every single time," added Ms McVey. "Quite a few of our students are studying hospitality at national 5 level and this gives them a unique insight into the skills needed to work in a top restaurant, whether that is in the kitchen or front of house.

“Others will need to find part-time work when they go to college or university, so having this experience on their CV will certainly open doors.”