Talented Food Production & Service trainees from The CRUMBS Project have opportunities to demonstrate their skills and aspirations by working alongside volunteer professionals from leading hospitality-sector organisations, including BaxterStorey and THE-PIG Group, at special Showcase Meal events.
Many adults with learning disabilities lack basic cooking skills or the confidence to prepare their own meals, often due to limited support or training opportunities. Yet cooking is a powerful developmental activity: it builds practical and vocational abilities, strengthens cognitive skills such as sequencing and timing, and encourages social interaction and confidence. With the right guidance, people of all abilities can benefit from learning to cook.
Through hospitality-based ‘training for independence,’ The CRUMBS Project creates pathways to work, improves mental health and wellbeing, and empowers disadvantaged individuals to lead more fulfilling and socially included lives. Over 88% of the charity’s trainees, many with learning disabilities, are able to cook and bake independently and benefit from increased autonomy in their daily lives.
Showcase Meal events, held quarterly at The CRUMBS Project’s training centre in Bournemouth, provide unique opportunities for the charity’s Food Production & Service programme trainees to demonstrate their particular skills, creativity, and hospitality.
Professional food production & service
Working alongside volunteer professional chefs from leading hospitality-sector organisations, including BaxterStorey and THE-PIG Group, Showcase Meal events serve as an essential training ground for event planning, practical cookery skills, food presentation and delivery.
Working either in the training kitchens or front of house serving and interacting with guests in the charity’s dining room, each Showcase Meal event provides Food Production & Service trainees with opportunities to highlight their skills, creativity, and cultural identity through food. This helps to boost their confidence and encourages social engagement in a supportive setting.
Unique themed menus
Food Production & Service trainees engage in designing, testing, and serving different dishes for each Showcase Meal event, each with a unique themed menu.
Recent themes have included:
- ’Cooking by Fire’ – featuring live cooking stations preparing a fabulous selection of barbeque foods, sumptuous salads, and delicious desserts.
- ‘Dark Nights’ – featuring an array of tasty, fragrant Thai-based dishes like Tom Kha Gai and Pad Thai noodles
- ‘War Years’ – a hearty selection of starters, mains, and desserts inspired by rationing and austerity of the War Years (1939–1945).
- ‘Spanish Foods’ – a fragrant selection of Spanish-themed cuisine with dishes including tapas, paella, and Ropa Vieja.
- ‘Celebrating Autumn’ – a warming selection of starters, mains, and desserts inspired by the colours and tastes of Autumn in the UK.
Storytelling through food
Each unique Showcase Meal menu encourages Food Production & Service trainees to create suitable dishes, explore a variety of culinary techniques, and carefully consider food presentation and flavour combinations. The trainees are taught more about storytelling through food as they learn about the origins of different ingredients, cultural influences, and traditions.
Guests delight in hospitality
Around 30 guests, from all walks of life, enjoy each Showcase Meal event and are asked to donate an equivalent to what they feel the meal is worth.
“I had the pleasure of attending [The] CRUMBS [Project] Showcase Meal. The event was a wonderful opportunity to witness the hard work, creativity, and skill of [The] CRUMBS [Project’s] trainees. Seeing the impact [The] CRUMBS [Project] is having in empowering individuals to live more independently and pursue careers in hospitality is truly inspiring; a testament to the quality and depth of [The] CRUMBS [Project]’s programmes.“
Kasia Bidga, Talbot Village Trust
Corporate philanthropy
Four events were made possible by a generous donation from TWO Services, the official sponsor of Showcase Meal events at The CRUMBS Project in 2025.
“Showcase Meal events give The CRUMBS Project’s trainees opportunities to experience different cuisines, demonstrate their cooking skills, and work in teams to enhance their communication skills and self-confidence. This helps to reinforce their feelings of self-worth, inclusion, and belonging. In 2025, The CRUMBS Project’s Showcase Meal events have been generously supported by TWO Services, and attending guests have donated more than £3,000 towards providing vital training and life-enhancing opportunities for adults with disabilities.”
Lee Whalley, Head of Operations at The CRUMBS Project
Tune in to see more
To learn more about Showcase Meal events, watch our short video:
Showcase Meal events in 2026
2026 event dates: Tuesday 3rd March, Thursday 30th April, Wednesday 8th July, Friday 6th November.
To register your interest in joining a Showcase Meal event at The CRUMBS Project Training centre in Bournemouth, contact us via: info@crumbs.org.uk
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