First Dates star Fred Sirieix opens training restaurant in a women's prison

Fred Sirieix, the maître d' from Channel 4's First Dates, has opened a training restaurant inside a women's prison, giving women in custody hospitality skills and a route into work when they are released.

Flavours Unlocked, run by Sirieix's charity The Right Course, has opened at HMP Drake Hall in Staffordshire. It is the charity's first restaurant in a UK women's prison.

Skills, qualifications and a job

The restaurant will provide industry-standard training, recognised qualifications and direct links with employers, giving women a pathway into secure work once they leave prison. The aim is to cut reoffending while helping hospitality businesses fill long-running staff shortages.

The hotel group Hilton has contributed expert trainers and shared its own practices to make sure the training meets the highest standard. The programme is also backed by the government's £1.5 million Hospitality Fund for 2026-27, with extra support for training from its new Hospitality Grant Scheme.

Restaurants, pubs and hotels across the region, including in Birmingham, could benefit from a new supply of trained staff.

"It's up to our new learners to seize this opportunity"

Fred Sirieix, founder and trustee of The Right Course, said: "By working in partnership with industry leaders like Hilton, and the prison regime, we are creating the right environment for our learners to turn their lives around, to gain the confidence, skills and aspirations needed to positively contribute to society."

"I want our graduates to be the best so that our employer partners snap them up and see them as valued members of their team. It's up to our new learners to seize this opportunity."

Stephen Cassidy, Senior Vice President for the UK and Ireland at Hilton, said: "For our industry, it is also a powerful reminder that talent can be found in many different places, and that with the right support, hospitality can open the door to meaningful, long-term careers."

Ministers attend the opening

Minister for the Future of Work Kate Dearden attended the opening on Monday. She said: "Hospitality is a vital part of Britain's economy, but businesses need access to skilled, dedicated staff to succeed."

Prisons Minister Catherine McKinnell said: "Prison must be a punishment, but it must also give offenders the tools to turn their backs on crime for good. Education and employment are vital to that mission, and programmes like The Right Course show what can be achieved when prisons, charities and businesses work together to help offenders build better lives."

Second chances

The Right Course says its training builds transferable skills such as communication, customer service and teamwork, useful in any job. For employers struggling to recruit, and for women looking to rebuild their lives, it offers a practical second chance that benefits both.