Leiths Education calls for every schoolchild in UK to learn how to cook
Leiths’ research shows that 75% of primary pupils do not receive regular practical cookery lessons. A year-long pilot across 45 schools with over 4,600 pupils found hands-on cooking lessons delivered ‘significant improvements’ in pupils’ cooking skills, understanding of healthy eating and key life skills.
Drawing on that evidence, Leiths has made its primary cookery programme free to all non-fee-paying pre- and primary schools across the UK. Since opening, many Leiths graduates have gone on to be leaders in the industry, from bestselling cookbook authors to Michelin-level chefs.
Leith said: “The best way to create the healthiest generation of children in history is to make sure that they have the skills to cook healthy meals from scratch. Practical cookery in primary schools gives children these skills, as well as the confidence and curiosity to cook at home, opening up myriad opportunities for their health, education and futures.”
Dame Prue Leith, Delia Smith CH and Stanley Tucci have all lent their support to Leiths’ call for every primary-age child in the UK to leave school knowing how to cook from scratch.
Smith added: “All I’ve tried to do in my career is take away the fear of cooking, because people can’t cook unless someone shows them how. In order to feel confident in the kitchen, cookery lessons need to start early on, in primary school, where children are naturally curious and want to be creative.
“When a child learns to make a simple meal, they’re learning far more than a recipe. They’re learning about nutrition, about where food comes from, about self-sufficiency – and that they can feed themselves properly, which is one of the most empowering things we can teach.”