Students and staff from MK College’s restaurant, The Brasserie, are celebrating after reaching the finals of the AA College Restaurant of the Year Award 2026. 

The team from The Brasserie are from one of just four colleges chosen to go into the final round of the prestigious competition. The students took part in a Judging Day at The Belfry Hotel in Sutton Coldfield, where the judging panel selected four outstanding colleges whose presentations demonstrated exceptional innovation, professionalism, and commitment to supporting Hospitality Action, a charity which provides financial, emotional, and practical support to hospitality workers in need. 

This year’s competition challenged students to plan, market, and deliver a charity event in support of Hospitality Action before presenting their project to a distinguished panel of industry judges. 

Alongside presenting to the judging panel, students heard from Michelin-starred chef David Taylor, Chef Director of Hampton Manor’s award-winning restaurants Grace & Savour and Kynd, who shared insights on sustainability, community, career development, and the future of hospitality. Students also benefited from a behind-the-scenes tour of the resort and the opportunity to engage with Senior Head Chef Dean Cole. 

MK College student Niamh Carroll commented: “We’re incredibly proud to have represented the College and to be finalists. The experience has been invaluable, and we’re excited to continue developing our skills and careers in hospitality. Thank you to everyone who helped us along the way!” 

Fellow MK College student Ashlyn Dunn added: “We’re both really excited to host the event in The Brasserie in November and hope all kinds of people and families come to support the Hospitality Action. It’s an amazing opportunity for us to put everything we’ve learned into practice, while supporting such an important charity.” 

MK College’s The Brasserie provides Catering and Hospitality students with vital work experience opportunities, by working at the restaurant as part of day-to-day service as well as evening events that have been hosted in partnership with a wide range of world-class chefs, restaurants and hotels. 

Maria Bowness, Group Director of Curriculum and Pedagogy, said:”We’re incredibly proud of the staff and students for reaching the finals of such a prestigious competition, it’s a truly fantastic achievement. Simply by taking part in the competition, our students have been able to learn from world-class professionals in catering and hospitality, an experience that we hope they carry with them through the rest of their time at the College and into their careers in the future. We wish them all the best of luck for the finals of the competition in September”. 

You can find out more about The Brasserie at The Brasserie Restaurant in Milton Keynes