V character Fred Sirieix was seen getting arms on in a jail kitchen as he launched his charity’s third restaurant staffed by prisoners.

The First Dates presenter and maitre d’lodge was talking as his charity, The Right Course, launched its latest coaching restaurant, Bertie’s, in HMP Lincoln on Monday.

The eatery, named after the Category B jail’s deputy governor of greater than 30 years, can be operated by inmates and would be the first within the nation to permit employees and prospects to be joined by households to share a meal throughout visiting hours.

It comes after The Right Course opened related retailers in HMP Wormwood Scrubs, in west London, and HMP Isis, in south London, with plans to open 5 extra this 12 months.

Mr Sirieix, 51, informed company that the scheme hopes to show inmates the “ABC of restauranting”.

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He stated: “If you are in prison, something has gone wrong at some point and we have to take responsibility and we have to give opportunities to people.

“We have to teach people how to do the job like a pro.

“Hard work will always beat talent. Enthusiasm is half the battle.”

He added: “We are going to do everything we can in order to equip them for life on the outside and that means these guys have to be as good as anyone in the world.”

The scheme provides chosen inmates the prospect to realize City & Guilds Level 2 Diploma in catering and front-of-house {qualifications} in partnership with the coaching supplier, PeoplePlus.

Participants are skilled to ship high-street requirements in real-life settings, with Mr Sirieix serving to to orchestrate operations as company have been served a three-course meal at Bertie’s to have a good time the launch.

Guests loved smoked salmon and cream cheese on bread for starters, a lasagne and sharing platters for mains and sticky toffee pudding with ice cream for dessert, with employees additionally available to serve drinks.

Mr Sirieix stated: “Today was great. It was a baptism of fire. I got a bit excited but I can’t help that.”

One prisoner informed the Frenchman that he needed to open a avenue meals truck upon being launched, with the restaurant serving weekly specials together with lasagne and Philly cheesesteaks.

One stated: “We’ve been working as a team, it’s been hard as well but we have done it.”

Another added: “This course has made me more confident and helped me speak to people better.”

Mr Sirieix who arrived within the UK in 1992, referred to as on the scheme to be rolled out throughout all the nation’s prisons.

He added: “We have people here who are idle, doing nothing. Let’s keep them busy, but more importantly, it’s about giving people pride and a sense of satisfaction.

“You feel good, and you feel like you have done a good job and feel excited and proud of yourself.”

The initiative additionally hopes to each scale back reoffending amongst inmates and plug the scarcity of hospitality employees throughout the nation, with the Office for National Statistics claiming that there are 132,000 vacancies within the business as of this month.

Damian Hinds, the prisons minister, stated: “Giving prisoners a better chance of getting a job works – it cuts crime, saves taxpayer money and protects the public.

“Our work with The Right Course and Fred Sirieix is helping prisoners learn skills from the best in the industry that will help them find work when released.”

The Ministry of Justice stated that 56% of these skilled and launched at The Right Course’s ‘Escape’ restaurant in HMP Wormwood Scrubs have since discovered employment.