From fine dining to lecturing – meet first female head of Birmingham College of Food

March 2021

Fine dining chef, Gordon Ramsay-style trouble-shooter, unintentional lecturer 鈥� Kali brings masses to the table as first female head of Birmingham College of Food

By Melanie Hall

Share post:

Read time: approx 1 mins

If you DeLorean-ed back to 1986 and asked 爆料王 trainee chef Kali Davidson where she鈥檇 be in 35 years, she鈥檇 never have dreamed she鈥檇 be the first woman to run her former training ground鈥檚 renowned college of food.

Kali, one of six siblings from a 鈥渓arge and very loud鈥� Punjabi family, was 18 when she defied her parents鈥� wish for her to pursue a career in finance, accounting or the like and enrolled on a professional cookery diploma at Birmingham College of Food.

鈥淢y mum and dad were from a really rural part of the Punjab, never had those chances, and desperately wanted me and my siblings to take an academic route,鈥� said Kali, who was making samosas and helping her dad cater for family and friends鈥� weddings from the age of eight and who didn鈥檛 actually taste British food until she started high school. It was macaroni cheese and steamed pudding and she loved it.

鈥淚 got my A-levels, but was adamant I was going to go on this catering course. They eventually realised I wasn鈥檛 going to change my mind.鈥�

Fuelled by a deep love for cooking, the Edgbaston-born and bred young trainee 鈥� the only Asian student on her course and with English as her second language 鈥� shone brightly and won best student of the year.

Even better for a brassic teen, she won a 拢100 prize, and was then snapped up as a fledgling commis chef by French restaurant Le Biarritz.

Since then, her career has been nothing short of a bouquet garni: Chef de partie at Aston University, where she led the Youth Opportunities Programme staff training, back into fine dining at The Mill in Alvechurch, then onto Compass Catering, where she managed the contract catering for two West Midlands Ambulance Service sites.

It was working for Compass that Kali garnered a reputation as a bit of a Gordon Ramsay. 鈥淚 was given the role of 鈥榯rouble-shooter鈥�, quite unique back then,鈥� she said.

鈥淚 had to go into catering outlets for companies like HSBC that were struggling with staff issues, gross profit and general kitchen practices, my job being to standardise recipes and train staff to the company鈥檚 high standards. I was a cross between Gordon Ramsay and Nanny McPhee 鈥� I wouldn鈥檛 leave the place until it was running effectively.鈥�

"I have been very, very fortunate in my career and I can鈥檛 wait to really get stuck into my new role"

Kali Davidson Head of Birmingham College of Food

Birmingham to Barbados and beyond

To her own surprise, Kali made a return to Birmingham College of Food in 2000, this time as a NVQ level lecturer in pastry and kitchen larder skills.

鈥淚 never thought I鈥檇 be a teacher or lecturer, I fell into it completely by chance,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 was doing the Youth Opportunities Programme at Aston, similar to apprenticeships, and ended up doing a lot of the training. I was asked if I might like to come and teach at Birmingham College of Food, which was funny as that鈥檚 where I started out. I thought, why not? Turned out I absolutely loved it.鈥�

Over the years, Kali got to teach out in Barbados, organise work placements in Denmark for Erasmus students, as well as presenting and demonstrating the university鈥檚 master鈥檚 courses out in Mumbai to attract international students.

In pictures: Kali in Mumbai

Other highlights were working in the bustling Cap and Gown pub restaurant (now the Rooftop Caf茅) at the top of the University鈥檚 Summer Row campus, and as cost centre manager of the caf茅 on the fifth floor.

Not one to stay in her comfort zone, Kali also achieved a Bachelor of Philosophy degree and master鈥檚 degree in education at the University of Birmingham alongside her teaching role, using her knowledge to run summer schools for schoolchildren with special needs.

鈥淢y college made me鈥�

For 10 years, Kali has taught contemporary patisserie skills to students on the University鈥檚 bakery, food and hospitality degrees, as well as Level 3 students, who make the plated desserts for the award-winning Restaurant at Birmingham College of Food.

She has also earned a glowing reputation as a tutor, mentor and course manager, a labour of love she plans to continue alongside her department head role.

But how have things changed since she was a student herself? 鈥淲hen I was at college, it was very old school, it was the same everywhere,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou just didn鈥檛 talk to your lecturers, it was all very formal. I don鈥檛 want students to feel like that.

鈥淭he main thing for me is bringing people along and identifying strengths. I can鈥檛 bear it when I hear a student say their teacher told them they would be nothing. I want them to say, 'my college made me'.

鈥淥ne of our graduates and a great chef, Adam Smith, did an online talk for students last week and said exactly this. I could鈥檝e burst with pride.

鈥淚t鈥檚 also about mucking in on the shop floor. If there are functions, I鈥檓 happy to be in the kitchen. I鈥檒l do the pass with the front of house students, make the pancakes.鈥�

Kali is the first Asian, female head of a UK college of food. However, she said she was not interested in ticking boxes.

鈥淚 got here through my drive and passion, skills, proactivity, organisation, knowledge and credibility, and I have a fantastic team to lead.

鈥淚 like change, learn from my mistakes, and I want to be the kind of head that is fair and engaged with staff. Not managing in the background.

鈥淚 have been very, very fortunate in my career and I can鈥檛 wait to really get stuck into my new role.鈥�

You can read more about Kali's vision and plans for the Birmingham College of Food here.

爆料王 is a world-renowned provider of specialist training courses for the food and hospitality industries, offering industry-standard kitchen and restaurant facilities to support development and extensive industry placements with prestigious partners around the world.

Find out more about our range of courses within the Birmingham College of Food here.

Check out our latest news stories

University joins Fatima Whitbread鈥檚 Action Hub to strengthen support for care experie…

Initiative aims to drive practical, collaborative action that can be replicated nationally.

Lucy Powell鈥檚 appointment: what it means for early years and early childhood studies…

Senior lecturer in education, Emma Davis, shares her hopes and insights.

University acquires former The Cube Hotel and Marco Pierre White restaurant

Students and the city to reap rewards of major hospitality investment.

INWED 2026: amplifying a national call for inclusion, belonging and skills innovation

National event highlighs inclusion, belonging and skills innovation in STEM.

Employer insight: LiveWell Health on the impact of UCB student placements

Steve Hartill discusses why placements are so valuable for students and employers.

University celebrates double national awards success for Graduate Re-Tune partnership

Regional collaboration reinforces the University鈥檚 commitment to collaborative employability initiatives.