After 24 years at West Lothian College, chef lecturer Andrew McDougall bid farewell to his colleagues and students last month when he moved on to retirement.
After working at Motherwell College, Andy started at West Lothian College in 1997 when it was located in Bathgate. He moved to the college’s Livingston campus in 2001. Andy previously ran a catering company, Silver Salver Buffets, but gave this up to focus on his teaching career.
Andy has worn many hats in his time at the college. He said:
“Apart from my role as chef lecturer over the 24 years I delivered First Aid to staff and students at the college and at West Lothian Council. I also taught West Lothian school catering staff throughout that time on a three-year accelerated learning course.
“My most interesting course was the Step-Up Programme run by West Lothian Council. The students hadn’t had the best start in life and I got them engaged in lots of different activities like cooking and white water rafting. I found this very rewarding.”
On his students, Andy said: “I’ve had many great students over the years and three are now lecturers at the college! Some have gone onto owning their own restaurants and cafes, outside catering companies, raising families and even sending their children to college to become the chefs of the future.”
Director of the college’s Business, Creative and Enterprise faculty, Hazel Brady said:
“Andy has changed so many lives over the years. His students have gone on to become talented chefs and so much - one even became a chef on a private jet! As he heads off into retirement, I would like to thank him for his passion, enthusiasm and hard work over more than two decades, and wish him a long and happy retirement.”