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One-week courses at Poynton High School in Cheshire and Glossopdale School in Derbyshire, saw 25 pupils aged 11–15 guided by Chartwells’ culinary team through lessons on knifework, pasta and bread making as well as creating nutritionally balanced dishes.

The Junior Culinary Skills programme aims to broaden the skills and knowledge of young culinary talent while teaching them how to make better food choices for themselves and the planet.

Stephen Woodward, regional development chef at Chartwells, said: “These courses are so important for equipping young people with tools they can take through their education and beyond. There are so many fantastic opportunities available in hospitality, and it’s a joy to deliver lifelong lessons to pupils while helping to spark interest in culinary careers.”

The pupils mastered nutritious recipes including rosemary & red onion focaccia, chicken katsu curry and mushroom tortellini with carbonara sauce. Following the course the top performing pupils were selected to take part in a cooking competition where they were tasked with creating two portions of a main course within an hour on a budget of £5.

Dishes were scored by a panel of industry experts on technical skill, cleanliness, creativity, presentation, taste, and sustainability. A healthy vegetarian lasagne cooked by Poynton High School student Tilda Chadwick was crowned as the winning dish.

Nick Hughes, regional operations manager at Chartwells, added: “We’re passionate about nurturing new talent and inspiring the next generation of chefs. Our Junior Culinary Skills programme is important not only for teaching young people vital lessons on food, nutrition, and cooking, but also for encouraging them to explore an exciting, rewarding career path that they may not have previously considered.”

The competitors in the interschool competition will now compete in the local heat of national competition Springboard FutureChef in October – a programme which Chartwells has been a longstanding supporter of.