In 2013, I created a catering training school for vulnerable youth in one of the worlds poorest countries, Lesotho. One trainee in particular stole my heart. His name is Alexander Motoko. Alexander like most youth in Lesotho comes from difficult circumstances meaning he is unable to afford the fees to go to college. After working closely with Alex I realised he not only had a passion for cooking great food and learning but he had real ability. Alexander went from no knowledge whatsoever, never even eating in a restaurant to now being able to prepare a variety of freshly prepared desserts, working the main course section or preparing stone baked pizza. He was with no doubt an extremely valuable member of my team.

After I departed from No7 and returned to the UK Alex decided to also move on and try to expand his knowledge. Unfortunately, there are not many places for him to do this in Lesotho. In order for him to progress his career and gain some employment in South Africa I feel he really needs a bit of international experience. The good news is, I have made some good progress here in the UK and we may just have him that placement, but we cant afford his flights and visa!