A WEALTH and variety of skill was demonstrated at a special evening held at Okehampton College recently. The food industry is growing each year and with more people eating out than ever before, there is increased demand for high quality food and service. Usually, an excellent standard of food and service comes with a hefty price tag yet on this occasion, for a mere £10, diners in a transformed classroom at Okehampton College were treated to the very best of both. Students from Year 11 were the chefs for the evening and served 44 diners with three well thought out and well delivered courses. The waiting staff were made up of students from Years 9 and 10 and were reported to have performed their tasks, by no means easy, admirably and professionally. The classroom had been turned into an intimate dining setting. Candles, plants and flowers helped to create a relaxed atmosphere. When asked about the food, diners said it was of a much better standard than many professional restaurants they had dined in. The ravioli starter was singled out for praise being described as light and delicate but packed with an intense flavour. The venison stew was also a big hit and more than appropriate on a bitterly cold night. One diner said: ?You can always tell a good restaurant from the quality of their vegetables and I?ve not had vegetables as good as these in a very long time. The deep fried mash is simply to die for.? Sue Carn, the food technology teacher who organised the event, said: ?I am extremely proud of all the students involved. ?They have never experienced that sort of pressure while cooking and coped superbly.? Her comments were echoed by sixth form student, Rachael, who helped to organise the evening by looking after the menu, promoted the event and made sure everything ran smoothly as part of her A-level media project. She said: ?The evening went really well. Everyone commented on how efficient the service was and how the room didn?t even resemble a classroom.? One Year 11 chef said: ?It was a real change from what I?m used to, it was a big step up from just cooking for my family. Lots of things could have gone wrong but we kept it together. ?These were paying guests we were cooking for. The pressure was intense but the experience was very enjoyable.?