An Ulster University Lecturer has become the first professional chef and hospitality lecturer in Northern Ireland to be inducted into the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts.
Michael Gillies, Lecturer and Course Director for the Culinary Arts Management programme at Ulster University was nominated to the Royal Academy, the UK’s leading hospitality association, by former MasterChef champion and National Chef of Scotland, Gary Maclean, and Chris McClurg, Chef de Cuisine at Michelin Star restaurant Paul Ainsworth.
The Ulster University lecturer joins the UK’s finest head chefs, pastry chefs, and restaurant managers as an academician at the Royal Academy, which exists to support the future of the hospitality industry through education and training.
During his time in the industry, Michael held several senior chef roles in five-star hotels and Michelin-listed restaurants. Now, his research focuses on consumer perceptions of food, outreach programmes, food safety, and the use of digital technology in teaching.
In the Academy Restaurant, Michael leads the planning and delivery of the production side of the Culinary Salons, a series of dinners hosted by some of the UK and Ireland’s most admired chefs and food writers for a series of one-off, set menu events. Guest chefs at the Culinary Salon in recent years include Jeremy Lee, Chef Proprietor of Quo Vadis, the renowned restaurant and members’ club located in the heart of Soho, London; wine, food and travel writer Marc Millon; and husband and wife duo, Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich, owners of London-based Honey & Co.
Nominated by peers across the industry, Michael hopes his position within the Royal Academy will support the enhancement of the Culinary Arts Management course at Ulster University, ensuring it remains in line with industry trends, securing continued placement opportunities at Northern Ireland’s finest dining locations and producing industry ready graduates.
Following his acceptance to the Academy, Michael nominated current Ulster University part- time student Connor Johnston, now Head Chef at Belfast restaurant Deanes Meatlocker, to be the second Northern Irish individual to join the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts.
In the position, the Ulster University lecturer intends to visit schools and colleges across Northern Ireland, promoting the hospitality industry as a fulfilling and rewarding career option.
Speaking of the nomination, Michael said:
“It is a privilege to be inducted into the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts and an honour to be the first person in Northern Ireland to have this recognition. The Royal Academy is about collaboration and networking with the best in the industry, and I have no doubt it will be beneficial for myself and my students as we seek to move hospitality education forward in Northern Ireland, open up new opportunities, and show young people that a career in hospitality can offer an exciting, rewarding and balanced lifestyle.
"It was my pleasure to nominate Connor Johnston to be the second local chef to join the Academy and I hope to see many others nominated down the line. A huge thank you to Gary Maclean and Chris McClurg, two renowned chefs I have worked with throughout the years from cooking together in Buckingham Palace to competing against each other, for the nomination.”
Professor Ioannis S. Pantelidis, Head of The Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Ulster University, added:
“We are so proud of our colleague Michael Gillies, he is the first academic in Northern Ireland to be inducted into the prestigious Royal Academy of Culinary Arts. We greatly value Michael’s contribution at Ulster University and our Academy restaurant. We use labs such as the Academy to nurture the talents of hospitality and culinary arts management students to provide a first-class culinary and cultural experience for guests and private events. Michael’s expertise as a chef and connections across the industry, particularly now with his position as an Academician in the Royal Academy, will allow us to elevate the student experience and continue preparing students for Northern Ireland’s thriving food, drink and hospitality scene.”
Ulster University has a long history of provision of hospitality, food business innovation and culinary arts management courses within the Department of Hospitality Tourism and Events Management.