Chefs Adopt a School Northwest   

www.academyofculinaryarts.org.uk

Founded in 1980, the Academy of Culinary Arts (ACA) is Britain’s leading professional association of Head Chefs, Pastry Chefs, Restaurant Managers and suppliers. There is a strong focus on the new generation of young industry people through its education and training programmes and also the provision of career opportunities. 

One of the education programmes is the schools project - Chefs Adopt a School (CAAS) which began in 1990 and teaches children respect for food, food provenance, nutrition, health & hygiene and cooking as a life skill.  The sessions are delivered by a real chef who ‘adopts the school’ and delivers the sessions, suitable for 5-18 which integrates well with Key Stages 1 – 4 of the National Schools Curriculum.  Although it’s great if the school does have cooking facilities, the Adopt a School programme does not rely on a kitchen – an ordinary classroom is quite sufficient.  A Resource Pack is provided for the school providing background information, how CAAS works, lesson plans and a CAAS guide for further learning.

Currently, the Trust delivers to over 15,000 children a year across Great Britain – with an ever growing waiting list that proves its popularity.  Already well established in the in the South West, East Anglia, the West Midlands and Central Birmingham, through sponsorship from the Northwest  Development Agency (NWDA), a three year contract was awarded in March 2007 to the Academy of Culinary Art’s to support establishing a Chefs Adopt a School programme in the Northwest - appointing a Northwest Regional CAAS Chef and a North West CAAS Co-ordinator.  The latter based in the headquarters of Food Northwest who are also supporting this role through, for example, jointly  working on initiatives such as the Year of Food and Farming, through the provision of office facilities and guidance where applicable.

The Trust is looking forward to influencing a new generation of food lovers and home cooks in the local authorities in the North West. The enthralling programme endorses the Government’s policy in respect of healthier schools, hence by targeting schools we can help towards improving the health of the population of the Northwest, addressing the growing concerns of childhood obesity, an increase in cancers, heart disease and more.

The success of the programme undertaken by Chefs Adopt a School partly depends on the commitment from schools.  The Academy believes that the current approach towards Practical Food Education needs to be radically changed.  Together, we feel we can make a real difference – ultimately see food-related activities back in today’s Primary and Secondary school curriculum.