Ben Haywood suffered severe anxiety at secondary school but now, as an apprentice at Feasted, he has the confidence to devise his own dishes and present them to customers.

He joined the food-based CIC around a year ago, volunteering for six months before starting a level two apprenticeship in Hospitality.

He has become a key member of the team and acts as a mentor for new recruits at the business based at the Spode Works in Stoke-on-Trent.

Cris Cohen, CEO of Feasted, said: “Ben is consistently exceeding all expectations of his development. Every time he reaches a plateau he is already seeking out the next step and pushing forward with excellence.

“He is a great example of someone who is, against the odds, building a fantastic career for themselves.”

He added: “Ben won’t mind it being said that when he started working in the kitchen his skill level and understanding was lower than other members of the team, but he didn’t let this phase him.

“Ben has clearly grown through adversity, having experienced severe anxiety during his time at secondary school. Even at this early stage of his apprenticeship he is now far exceeding the standards and expectations put on him.

“In a short time, Ben has become an integral part of our team, both independently creating and collaborating on dishes for Chef’s Table, taking control of his development and telling his story on his own terms to our customers.

“What has really been a great pleasure to watch is Ben’s development as a mentor, this is an area where he really shines; passing down his positivity and wisdom to other young people.

“He is a Stokie through and through and takes great pride in creating dishes which celebrate the rich and diverse heritage of our city.”

Ben Haywood has been nominated in the Apprentice of the Year category of the Staffordshire University Business Awards.