Leith, Smith and Tucci call for cooking lessons

Dame Prue Leith, Delia Smith CH and Stanley Tucci have united at Parliament to call on the government to ensure every child has access to regular practical cookery lessons. The icons of the food industry are backing Leiths, the culinary school founded by Leith back in 1975, in its mission to ensure that regular, high-quality, practical cooking lessons are taking place in every primary school.

Leith said: “The best way to create the healthiest generation of children in history is to make sure 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.”

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Cookery education resources
Last month, Leiths announced its commitment to teaching every child at non-fee paying pre- and primary schools in the UK to cook through a new free video-led set of cookery education resources. The free resources ensure every child has the opportunity to learn to cook nutritious food from scratch by the time they leave primary school.

Smith said: “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. Since cooking facilities were removed from schools, hands-on cookery has been infrequent and squeezed in when time will allow.”

Tucci added: “When children don’t learn to cook, they miss out on basic skills but also on some of the greatest joys and pleasures of life. A passion for food and cooking, an understanding of ingredients and nutrition, they’re all essential to develop happy, independent, joyful, healthy children and future adults.”

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