Three members of the catering team at MidKent College have come full circle in their careers – returning to the kitchens where they trained where they are supporting and inspiring the next generation of hospitality professionals.
Ally Thorn, Cherie Roberts and Jo Passmore all studied catering at the College’s Maidstone campus in the late 1990s. Today, they are part of the team running its cafés and restaurants, bringing with them decades of industry experience and a shared passion for helping students succeed.
Ally Thorn studied at MidKent College between 1996 and 1999 at the Maidstone campus. From a first job in hospitality pot washing in a pub Ally used her catering qualifications to work at the Brands Hatch Thistle Hotel. “I particularly enjoyed the environment, with events like superbikes and car racing happening around me.”
She then worked for Compass Group at Army and Navy, managing a team of around 50 staff at just 21 years old – “a very tough but valuable experience.”
After taking a break to raise her children, Ally started working at the College as a part-time Catering Assistant. She has since progressed to a full-time Catering Team Leader and found herself reunited with former classmates.
One of them is chef Cherie Roberts also studied at MidKent College from 1996 to 1999 at the Maidstone campus. She built a varied career in the hospitality industry, working at Oakwood House in its conference centre, as well as in care homes, restaurants, bars and hotels. She spent 17 years working at The White Rabbit (now Miller & Carter).
After starting a family, Cherie supported her husband’s nutraceutical business until drawn back to the kitchen. This led her to apply for a role at MidKent College, where she was surprised to reconnect with Ally after many years.
The third former student in the MidKent College hospitality team is Jo Passmore who studied at the Maidstone campus from 1997 to 2000. With dyslexia, Jo found traditional academic work more challenging but thrived in a hands-on learning environment.
Jo met her husband, who was completing a catering apprenticeship at the time and they have been together for 25 years. Both of their children also attended MidKent College.
Jo took career break to raise her children and tried a Teaching Assistant role before realising she wanted to be back in a kitchen. When she saw a Catering Assistant role advertised at MidKent College, she jumped at the opportunity to return.
Jo particularly enjoys working with foundation students, supporting them as they gain work experience and seeing their confidence and skills grow. In September 2025, she began studying for a Level 3 Award in Education and Training, with the goal of becoming a catering lecturer by the age of 50. She credits her manager, Nathanael Ozanne, with helping her fall back in love with cooking. She says: “You’re never too old to train.”
Both Ally and Cherie have fond memories of their studies at college, particularly the high standards expected by their tutors. Ally said: “It was great in those days—we learned so much that we still use to this day – from table setting to understanding employment law.”
MidKent College commercial manager, Nathanael Ozanne, said his former student team members do bring extra value: “They have a better understanding of their function within the college and the added value we, as a catering team, can deliver to the student experience through work experience opportunities and supporting college events. The catering outlets are entwined in the day to day running of the college and they really appreciate the impact they can have on staff and students.”
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