Saint Paul’s Catholic High School recently welcomed professional chef Ngwafu Tansie for the first session in a six-week cookery course designed for students and parents. This exciting initiative is part of the school’s new Cooking Club, established in partnership with FareShare Greater Manchester, with a focus on reducing food waste and promoting environmental sustainability.
A Six-Week Culinary Journey
The Cooking Club aims to provide students, with a solid grounding in cookery. Each week, participants will learn to prepare delicious dishes, starting with jollof rice and slaw. Students will also take home ingredients to practice the menu at home, ensuring they can share their newfound skills with their families.
Core Life Skills Through Cooking
Saint Paul’s sees cooking as a vital life skill and aims to give everyone the opportunity to learn to cook and enjoy good food. The sessions are free of charge, and students will get to take home the food they have cooked, which will feed a family of four. Mrs. Bowery from Saint Paul’s explained, “Being able to shop on a budget, prepare ingredients, and cook healthy dishes helps people to make healthy food choices. Learning to cook is a core life skill which helps to develop confidence and social skills.”
Educational and Fun
Mr. Dempsey from Saint Paul’s added, “At the Cooking Club, the students have been learning all sorts of life skills, including maths, ingredients and nutrient knowledge, as well as basic kitchen techniques. We are pleased to see the students branching out to try new foods and we have been thrilled to watch the children approach even seemingly complex recipes or techniques with an amazing ‘can do’ attitude.”
Positive Impact on Students
Studies show that children who are welcomed into the kitchen and allowed to help prepare and cook food are less fussy and eat more healthily. Mrs. Sumner from Saint Paul’s highlighted, “They’re also more likely to try new foods and learn about the provenance of food and about waste and how to reduce it.”
Looking Ahead
Saint Paul’s Catholic High School hopes that the Cooking Club will continue to inspire students and parents, fostering a love for cooking and a commitment to reducing food waste. The success of this initiative demonstrates the school’s dedication to providing valuable life skills and promoting environmental awareness.
