Holly Jackson stands 60 floors above London, piping chocolate onto plates at the highest restaurant in Europe, five years after walking out of Hopwood Hall College with an advanced diploma in Patisserie and Confectionery. The 25-year-old from New Moston now holds the title Senior Pastry Chef de Partie at Gordon Ramsay’s Lucky Cat in 22 Bishopsgate, the glass-walled skyscraper featured in the Netflix series “Being Gordon Ramsay,” where viewers can spot her in several scenes.

Jackson’s climb began when she left Co-op Academy Failsworth, enrolled at the Rochdale college, and finished third in the Young Pastry Chef of the Year 2021 while collecting three distinctions. “It’s such an exhilarating and high-intensity career - but it’s absolutely worth it,” she said. “Hopwood gave me the perfect start and the tutors were always so supportive. They would always say, ‘you can do whatever you want, you can really go far’ - so I never doubted that I could do it. My career has been unbelievable and my parents are so proud of me; they’re always posting about my success on Facebook!”

Within months of graduation she headed south, landing first as Pastry Commis Chef at Michelin-starred Hakkasan, then as Pastry Demi Chef de Partie at the five-star Corinthia hotel, followed by a stint as Head Chocolatier for Fortnum & Mason before Ramsay’s team recruited her for the 59th-floor kitchen. Julia Heap OBE, Principal and CEO of Hopwood Hall College, praised the rapid rise: “Holly really is a fantastic example of what can be achieved in such a short space of time when you follow your passion, have the best support and secure the right qualification.”

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