Brighton and Hove students get cooking at the Amex

By GeorgeHA | Friday, February 03, 2012, 18:42

To the Amex stadium for my very first visit. We were sampling the East Central Brasserie in the East Stand, which is staffed by catering students at Brighton and Hove City College, giving them invaluable experience of working in a real restaurant.

The first assault on the buffet: City College students holding the line well
The not so bog-standard home team dressing room
..and here is the League One Npower Trophy, displayed in pride of place in the trophy cabinet

I had no idea you could get a meal at the Amex, and this is a great way to have a look at the new stadium if you're not a footy fan.

The food is pretty good too, if today's platters were anything to go by. The students are keen and cheery, and did very well with 120+ guests bustling around the buffet and all needing attention at once.

The speeches, from City College's Chief Executive Phil Frier and Brighton and Hove Albion's Chief Exec Martin Perry, emphasised the value in giving young people a chance to get their teeth into some real work.

A tour of the stadium followed. It was first time I'd ever set foot in a proper professional club's dressing rooms, and the difference between the bog-standard one for the away team, and the one for the Seagulls was a definite highlight.

It's all very swish and impressive. The stadium is as spacious as reported, and excellently designed.

Future visits will definitely be made: the express lunch sounds like it's well worth sampling: the menu varies from day to day, with main courses for just £4.50 and starters and puddings for only £2.50. That's not bad at all. Have a look here.