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“Tell me and I forget,
show me and I may remember,
let me do it and I learn.”
Prue Leith
Organisations representing over 9,000 chefs have volunteered to go into schools during British Food Fortnight (22nd September to 7th October) to teach children how to cook, signifying the biggest mass movement geared to teaching children about food. This means that British Food Fortnight has already over-taken France’s long-running Semaine du Gout that sends chefs into French schools every October to teach children about the delights of their national cuisine.
Schools can win class sets of Kenwood cooking equipment by taking part. British Food Fortnight’s ‘Cook for Life’ Challenge, sponsored by Kenwood, is looking for schools that incorporate cookery in their curriculum activities in imaginative and innovative ways. Prizes will be awarded to the best six schools in each region and include class sets of aprons, a bakeware selection, digital scales, spatulas and smoothie makers.
Alexia Robinson, organiser of the event, says: “One of the reasons that the number of children eating school meals has fallen since the Government introduced healthier food is that it has not been accompanied by lessons in food and nutrition1. Imagine if Jamie Oliver could visit every school in the country to get children excited about food - well 9,000 Jamies are on offer to help schools during British Food Fortnight!”
“Schools wanting to recruit their own Jamie Oliver – and to win Kenwood cooking equipment - should go to www.britishfoodfortnight.co.uk. Contact details of chef and catering organisations committed to working with schools during British Food Fortnight can be found in the Teacher Zone section of the site.”
She continues: “This is a fabulous opportunity to get ready for the Government’s forthcoming introduction of cookery as a separate subject within a more flexible secondary curriculum.”
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Notes to Editors:
- 250,000 fewer secondary school children are eating school meals since the introduction of the Government’s healthy school food guidelines. (BBC News 03 Sept 07.)
- WHICH CHEFS ARE TAKING PART?: 9,000 chefs and cooks in the major chef associations, catering organisations, catering colleges and others are on hand (Contin.) to support schools in teaching pupils how to cook. The following organisations are all committed to sending chefs into schools to teach children how to cook during British Food Fortnight:
Academy of Culinary Arts
ARAMARK
British Culinary Federation
Compass Group
Country Markets Ltd
Craft Guild of Chefs
Marston’s Pub Company
Master Chefs of Great Britain
Mitchells & Butler
Professional Association for Catering Education
Punch Taverns
Sodexho
Women’s Institute
Youth Hostel Association
- WHAT IS BRITISH FOOD FORTNIGHT? Running from 22nd September to 7th October and now in its sixth year, British Food Fortnight is an established date on the school calendar. Hundreds of schools use the event as an opportunity to teach young people about food: about the diverse and delicious range of food available, the benefits of healthy eating and about the pleasures of eating quality, fresh, seasonal and regionally distinct produce.
- WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE? All the event’s school resources have been updated. Download from the event’s website new editions of:
- ‘Putting the Ooo back into food: A Resource Pack for Schools’ - ideas for food-related activities for all curriculum subjects.
- ‘Putting the Ooo back into food: A Guide to including Cookery within the National Curriculum’ - cookery lessons and activities for early years, primary and secondary children.
A six-page guide to taking part that includes examples of how schools participated last year and details of how to take part in the British Food Fortnight ‘Cook for Life’ Challenge, sponsored by Kenwood, is also available from the Event Office Email:
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or Tel: 020 7840 9292 or download from www.britishfoodfortnight.co.uk.
- WHO IS BEHIND IT? British Food Fortnight is sponsored by Nationwide, Budgens and ARAMARK and features the British Food Fortnight ‘Cook for Life’ Challenge sponsored by Kenwood. It is endorsed by HRH The Prince of Wales and it is supported by over 45 organisations led by 3663, Brakes, Compass Group, Country Markets, Guild of Q Butchers, Mitchells & Butlers, National Farmers’ Union, National Trust, Punch Taverns, Sodexho, Tenant Farmers Association and VisitBritain.
For information on British Food Fortnight and to order resources, contact Alexia Robinson or Jennifer Meakin.
T: 020 7840 9292. E:
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