Prowrap backs 300 future chefs through new mental health training programme

Prowrap is continuing its partnership with wellness initiative The Burnt Chef Project to fund a new College Partnership Programme, bringing live mental health and resilience training to hospitality students before they step into the industry.

The company’s sponsorship will fund 300 students across Bristol and the South West as part of a wider UK initiative. Delivered in catering colleges, the programme gives young chefs and hospitality professionals practical mental health tools, peer support, and a frank look at the realities of working in the industry.

Sessions are led by trained ambassadors with lived experience of the challenges hospitality can bring. Alongside the in-person training, students receive access to ongoing digital support and online resources, meaning the support doesn’t stop when the sessions end.

Research conducted by The Burnt Chef Project shows that more than four out of five hospitality professionals have experienced mental health issues during their careers, and 46% say they wouldn’t feel comfortable discussing those issues with their colleagues. Having those conversations early, before students hit the kitchen pass, is the goal of the initiative.

Prowrap will be actively involved in the programme, attending college sessions and events and engaging directly with students. “We want to have an impact on the industry that goes beyond the benefits of our products,” said Bryony Barlow, Commercial Director at Prowrap. “Mental health in professional kitchens has become an increasingly important conversation, and this programme gives us the chance to start those discussions earlier, before people reach the professional level. Students who understand the pressures ahead, and have real tools to handle them, are going to have longer, healthier careers. We’re excited that Prowrap’s support makes that possible for 300 more of them.”

Kris Hall, Founder of The Burnt Chef Project®, added: “We spend a lot of time talking about burnout once people are already struggling. This programme is about getting ahead of that. If we can help young people entering hospitality understand pressure, resilience, and mental health before they enter the industry, we give them a far better chance of building long, healthy careers. Having partners like Prowrap backing that work allows us to reach future hospitality professionals at a stage where support and education can genuinely shape the future.” 

To learn more about The Burnt Chef Project, visit www.theburntchefproject.com. To find out more about Prowrap and its activities, visit www.prowrap.co.uk.