Ex-prisoners cooking with gas after chef project serves up transformation

A culinary event with a difference has helped secure full-time jobs for two young former prisoners.

Daniel McLaughlin and Jordan Docherty, with chef Scott Leask, at the Yes Chef! Dinner at Glasgows Hilton. Picture: Supplied

Jordan Docherty, 21, and ­Daniel McLaughlin, 20, found ­themselves in jail after facing significant ­challenges in their early lives, ­stemming from troubled backgrounds and a lack of opportunities.

As part of an amazing ­transformation after their release, the pair were part of the team which ­delivered a six course meal for ­diners at the annual Yes Chef! ­Dinner at ­Glasgow’s Hilton on ­Sunday. As ­further evidence of how the ­charity has turned their lives around, they will go straight into full-time employment after the event.

Their enthusiasm and talent ­captured the eye of Kained ­Holdings’ development chef Scott Leask, who was working with the pair to train them for the event.

He said: “This proves that if you have a willingness to change, doors aren’t closed. I have been so impressed by the effort of both ­Jordan and Daniel, they’ll be brilliant additions to the team at Kained.

“Sunday’s dinner proves how far they’ve come. It was absolutely incredible to watch them work and to see the reaction from the crowd. No matter what your background is, there is no limitation to what you can achieve with dedication.

“There’s no telling where they may go with their careers. I have very high hopes for them. Without the Yes Chef! Programme I wouldn’t have had the chance to meet them.”

Paul Carberry, director of action for Children in Scotland, said: “We are incredibly proud that young men who have come through this year’s ‘Yes Chef’ programme will enter full-time careers in the ­hospitality sector.

“They have shown incredible ­levels of commitment and deserve recognition for all their efforts. This programme gives those we support the chance to develop new skills and gain qualifications. These guys just needed someone to believe in them and give them a chance.”

Yes Chef! is a 12-week programme run by the charity’s Moving On Scotland service. It works with young people recently liberated from short-term prison sentences to help rehabilitate back into their local communities.