Bridlington brothers on board at Salt on the Harbour as Harrison Leisure builds teams with apprenticeship investment

Bridlington brothers Reece and Kieran Brown are looking at ‘rewarding, fulfilling and engaging careers’ after starting hospitality apprenticeships at Salt on the Harbour, the east coast restaurant run by Harrison Leisure.

Head chef Richard Gardiner at Salt on the Harbour with new apprentices Kieran and Reece Brown

Reece, 18, is on a cheffing apprenticeship, while Kieran, 16, has just started as a front of house apprentice; both apprenticeships last one year including two days a week studying at Bridlington College.

“I’ve always enjoyed cooking and helping out in the kitchen at home,” said Reece, who worked at the award-winning restaurant on a part-time, occasional basis while at school. Reece is now preparing meals professionally for the first time, helping Salt on the Harbour’s busy kitchen team with breakfast, lunch and dinner including seasonal menus, Sunday roasts, as well as Salt on the Harbour’s trademark specialty fish dishes, Bridlington landed lobsters and crab.            

Brother Kieran has also worked part-time occasionally while at school including in Salt on the Harbour’s takeaway fish and chip shop, but it is waiting tables where he feels most at home.

“I love meeting and serving our customers; you get your regulars who you almost know what they want when they walk through the door. But then you never know who else might pop in or what they might order, even a few celebrities when they’re here to perform at Brid’ Spa,” said Kieran.

Salt on the Harbour head chef Richard Gardiner, who hails from Bridlington, and also started out on a one-year apprenticeship with Harrison Leisure nearly twenty years ago, said: “If Reece and Kieran stick at it they will certainly both have good prospects of rewarding, fulfilling and engaging careers ahead of them.”

The appointment of Reece and Kieran to their permanent trainee roles follows the successful completion of two other apprenticeships at another Harrison Leisure business, The Old Floral Pavilion and Jeromes, where Mason Sear, 18, is now employed full time as a chef and Jayden Cook, 17, is now full time on front of houseat.

Michael Harrison, founder and owner of Harrison Leisure, said: “Our focus on investment is something very close to my heart. I firmly believe that the only way that we can grow and prosper is to constantly invest in our staff and our businesses.          

“Providing skilled young and enthusiastic staff with the training they need to progress their careers and maintain the high standards our customers demand is essential to the prosperity of Harrison  Leisure. That, in turn, will hopefully be passed along to our families and filter through to the local community helping to boost Bridlington as a better town and attractive seaside destination.” 

This latest investment and focus on training and careers for local people in Bridlington follows successful hospitality training by Harrison Leisure with Year 10 pupils at Bridlington School.

Thirty-six 15-year-olds gained professional knowledge and skills on how to safely and correctly prepare locally landed fish, including haddock, plaice and mackerel as part of a compulsory element on their GCSE food course.

Salt on Harbour won the 2023 Yorkshire Life Food and Drink Awards for Coastal Restaurant of the Year.