Fresh Flavours, Fresh Skills: How Fair Shot’s New Menu Empowers Learners
At Fair Shot, the space behind the counter is more than just a kitchen; it’s a space where our learners gain practical skills, build confidence and get the chance to be creative. Our new seasonal menu, created by our wonderful chef Lauren, combines fresh, delicious ingredients with meaningful learning opportunities, giving the Fair Shot team the opportunity to develop real-world skills that set them up for employment success.
Seasonal Inspiration Behind the Dishes
Lauren’s menu draws on seasonal ingredients to create vibrant, flavourful dishes. “Beetroot, for example, is at its sweetest this time of year when roasted, and pairing it with a salty, zesty orange whipped feta makes for a really balanced flavour,” she explains. By working with seasonal produce, learners also gain an understanding of ingredient selection, taste combinations, and kitchen creativity, all while enjoying a hands-on experience with fresh, nutritious foods.
Learning Through Cooking
Every dish on the menu is designed to support learner development. Preparing sandwiches and other meals teaches a wide range of skills—from peeling and chopping vegetables to weighing, measuring, and following recipes step by step. Learners practice time management, set timers, and learn to work within cooking deadlines. Kitchen safety, knife skills, and allergen awareness are also key components in ensuring the team is developing the necessary knowledge needed to operate a cafe effectively.
A Favourite Training Dish: Cheese Toasties
One standout training opportunity is our cheese toasties. “The recipe is very methodical, and lots of learners have said how much they love making them,” Learners melt butter, wash and chop leeks, prepare the leek mix, grate and weigh cheese, and wrap the toasties neatly for service. They even get to accompany Lauren to collect the cheese from Neal’s Yard, learning about supply chains and discovering where their ingredients come from.
Empowering Independence
Lauren and our café team support learners in gaining confidence in the kitchen, encouraging them to work independently and eventually create or adapt recipes on their own. “I love seeing how each learner works differently. Helping them adapt to suit their working styles is a real pleasure’.
A Menu with Purpose
All our dishes are freshly prepared in-house by learners and staff. As we are a non-profit, all sales go directly back into Fair Shot, helping more adults with learning disabilities gain vital skills , ready for employment opportunities. Each sandwich, toastie, or sweet treat is more than a meal: it’s a step toward independence, a commitment to breaking the cycle of unemployment.