When Handerline Morency stepped into her first professional kitchen, she never imagined she’d one day be leading a brigade of nine seasoned chefs, and she certainly didn’t imagine she’d become the 2024 NITAs Hospitality Apprentice of the Year for Kitchen. But as Handerline puts it: “If you’re passionate and want to work while still having a student experience, it’s such a good opportunity.”
Handerline’s culinary career began with a school visit. A recruiter introduced her to the idea of apprenticeships, and something clicked. “I was cooking alongside my dad in his catering company. So, food was always my thing,” she says. “When they came and spoke about their programs, I was really intrigued. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I could do this for money, not just for me.’”
Encouraged by Craig Parsons, Head of Apprenticeships at Fuller’s, Handerline pushed further and completed her Chef de Partie (CDP) course at The Dove in Hammersmith, before moving to The Plough in East Sheen. Rising through the ranks from CDP to Junior Sous, and now Sous Chef, Handerline has continued her learning journey, now with her third apprenticeship, focused on leadership and professional development.
Managing a kitchen team is a challenge for any chef, but doing it in your early 20s with a team of older men comes with a unique set of obstacles. For Handerline, team bonding became essential. “At first I was really nervous. I had to think to myself: if they see I’m scared, they’re not going to trust me to run the team.”
So she took a creative approach. “We play tennis now,” she says with a laugh. “I was thinking football? I can’t play football. Pool? I don’t know how to play pool. So I said, ‘Tennis?’ and they said, ‘Tennis!’” It worked. Their casual tennis matches have become tradition; helping form “an alliance” in the kitchen. “We need to get along. That is very important to me.”
Despite her growing skill and confidence, Handerline admits not everything has come easy. “The one thing I couldn’t get right was a soufflé,” she confesses. “It’s so embarrassing – everyone should know how to make a soufflé.” For months, her creations would rise, then sink. “I was like, oh my god, sunk again.” Eventually, during a mystery basket challenge, the desert rose.
Macarons proved equally tricky. “They looked hazardous, to be honest,” she laughs. “My hands were too hot, the room was too warm, nothing set — and the colours I used made them look like warning signs.”
But these missteps only sparked a deeper interest in pastry. “I do want to fail to get better,” she says. “It’s the satisfaction you get after trying and trying, and failing and failing.”
Handerline’s passion didn’t go unnoticed. With encouragement from Craig and last year’s winner Harry Widgery, she entered the 2024 NITAs.
Her submission – a video of her cooking at a supper club, blending dishes from her heritage with European favourites – showcased the heart and creativity behind her food. “It felt really nice to do. It showed how much I’ve gained from being part of this culture, and how I can put that on a plate.”
Winning came as a complete surprise. “I was drinking these little rum drinks thinking, ‘This is great!’ Then I saw my face on the screen and thought, ‘Oh no, look at my pores!’” she jokes. But the award meant something more than recognition: “It felt really nice to be seen. It was overwhelming.”
Her trophy now sits in pride of place next to her record player, surrounded by photos of her dad and grandmother. “Every time I FaceTime them, they’re like, ‘Polish it!’ And I’m like, ‘I am! I’m polishing it!’”
Handerline sees her journey as proof that hospitality can be both nurturing and challenging. “The kitchen can be tough, but it’s also incredibly rewarding,” she says. “Having a supportive team and the chance to learn every day makes it all worthwhile.”
She’s particularly passionate about encouraging young women to enter the industry. “It can feel intimidating going into the kitchen, but it’s not like what you see in the media. Real kitchens are peaceful. The only thing we argue about sometimes is how the food is presented.”
For now, she’s finishing her third apprenticeship while planning a summer fusion supper club and dreaming about travel. And while fine dining still calls, it’s her grandmother’s crab stew that remains the ultimate culinary goal. “No one can make it quite like her,” she says. “When I can make it the way she does — that’s when I’ll feel like I’ve truly arrived.”
