Peach

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July 2010: Children from Thomas Jolyffe Primary School in Stratford-upon-Avon put their culinary skills to the test on Tuesday 20th July 2010 when they went over to The One Elm for a real live cookery challenge with a healthy twist.

Fourteen pupils – two from every year in the school from reception to year six – won the chance to cook at the pub after competing to create the ultimate healthy salad, one of the many activities organised by Thomas Jolyffe during its recent health week.

Fourteen pupils – two from every year in the school from reception to year six – won the chance to cook at the pub after competing to create the ultimate healthy salad, one of the many activities organised by Thomas Jolyffe during its recent health week. Rachel Wright, Year One Teacher and Healthy Schools Co-ordinator at the school takes up the story.

“Our health week was a great initiative designed to encourage the children to think about what makes up a healthy lifestyle, with what they eat obviously playing a key part,” she says. “This year, we set the whole school the task of devising a salad dish using no more than eight different ingredients that would be truly healthy. The dish had to be creative and varied plus fit in with our healthy eating theme.

“The children really got on board to come up with some fantastic salad dishes and it was a tough job to pick the best two from each year to go forward to the grand finale. Now those fourteen lucky finalists got the chance to compete for the title of overall winner by making their salads at The One Elm for the chefs to taste.”

Each of the young hopefuls had to prepare their salad dishes and have them judged by the team at The One Elm and their teachers. Marks were given for originality, appearance and flavour and of course use of healthy ingredients.

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“Although all the children did brilliantly, we had to pick a winner,” continues Rachel. “In the end it was Isaac James who shone through with his salad of asparagus wrapped in bacon served with mango chutney and dressed salad leaves. He’s only 11 but already he’s talking about becoming a chef and we’re delighted that The One Elm has invited him to spend a day with them getting a taste of what it’s like to cook for a living!”

“We love working with the school as they do so much to promote healthy eating with the children, a subject that’s close to our hearts, too,” says Niki Burr, general manager of The One Elm. “We’ve done a lot of work with Thomas Jolyffe in fact, including helping them buy a greenhouse so the children can grow their own fruit and vegetables, and only the other week we helped out at their annual summer fête selling strawberries we’d donated for the fund-raiser, to help boost takings on the day.

“We also give 25p from every Caesar salad we sell to healthy eating activities in schools and were delighted to be helping Thomas Jolyffe even further on this occasion. It was fantastic to see what these budding young masterchefs came up with!”

It’s not the first time the children have worked with the chefs from The One Elm, either. Last month, the chefs went into the school and did a ‘Ready, Steady, Cook’ style challenge in school assembly where the children had to make their own healthy salad and be judged on it by the other children.

“We’ve been genuinely bowled over by the whole school’s enthusiastic approach to our health week and how the children’s interest in healthy eating – whether they’re five or 11 – has really been ignited,” adds Rachel. “Having this link with the local community and working with The One Elm has really brought it to life too, and makes it even more thrilling for everyone.”

The One Elm is at 1 Guild Street, Stratford-Upon-Avon CV37 6QZ. Tel: 01789 404919
www.oneelmstratford.co.uk