The first 12 apprentices to train at Fifteen Cornwall celebrated their graduation, on the eve of the restaurant’s first anniversary, at a ceremony held at the nearby Eden Project.

In autumn 2005, the Cornwall Foundation of Promise – a charity set up to support disadvantaged young people in Cornwall – received more than 300 applications from young people in Cornwall aspiring to join the recently launched restaurant’s first training programme.

Henry Ashworth, chair of the Foundation, said: “The first group of graduates are extraordinary ambassadors for both Fifteen Cornwall and social enterprise. They have achieved more than anyone dreamed possible and the knowledge we’ve gained from guiding their progress will help us to support many more young people in Cornwall in the future.”

By January 2006, the final selection of 21 aspiring chefs embarked on a 12-week training course at College Cornwall to learn about food preparation and hygiene foundation skills, before carrying out vocational training in the kitchens at Fifteen Cornwall.

The apprentices served Italian cuisine with a Cornish twist to around 80,000 guests during the 12-month training programme which, according to the Foundation, generated a £10m boost to the local economy.

Of the 21 apprentice chefs, 12 have graduated and an additional five trainees have gained NVQ level 2 qualifications. In comparison, Fifteen London graduated only eight of its 16 apprentices in its first year of operation back in 2003.

Seventeen-year-old graduate Josh Hawthorne from St Ives said: “I left school at 14 with no qualifications and there wasn’t much to look forward to in my future. My Youth Offending Officer helped me to apply to Fifteen. All I was hoping for was to get some qualifications but Fifteen has given me so much more than that. I’ve had obstacles to overcome – my dyslexia made getting my NVQ level 1 qualification a real challenge – but the Foundation helped me every step of the way. On day I hope to own my own restaurant.” Details: www.fifteencornwall.co.uk