Young people in Islington have been perfecting their culinary skills with expert guidance from chefs at Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Restaurant.
The one-day Junior Fifteen Experience course was held at Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School as part of Islington Summer University, a programme of free activities for children and young people.
The cooking workshop was hosted by a chef and graduates from Fifteen who taught the 10-14 year-olds how to cook a three-course meal, including a pasta dish, and freshly made meringues with strawberries for desert.
Islington Council’s Executive Member for Children and Young People, Cllr Paula Belford, joined the budding young chefs. She said:
"I was really impressed by the quality of the food being prepared by the young people. The tomato and basil sauce cooking away smelled delicious and I only wish I'd been there long enough to taste it!
"The council and its partners are offering a huge range of low cost or free activities for children and young people to take part in this summer. It was great to see the young people on this course clearly enjoying learning some new skills and many of them spoke enthusiastically about cooking at home too."
The cooking workshop was part of Heatwave, Islington Council’s programme of summer events for children and young people. The day was rounded off with a question and answer session and a chance for everyone to taste the results of their hard work.
Simon Wilson, a 14 year-old student at Highbury Grove School, said:
"I want to be a chef when I'm older, so I really enjoyed the course and learnt a lot. I did a similar one a couple of years ago and I do lots of cooking at home too.
"So far I've also been on a go-karting course and played tennis in Highbury Fields in Islington this summer."
ENDS.
Page Last Updated: 04 August 2009