School cookery? How Raymond Blanc is inspiring pupils to reach for Michelin stars

  • Date: 09-Jan-2022
  • Source: The Telegraph
  • Sector:Education
  • Country:Middle East
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School cookery? How Raymond Blanc is inspiring pupils to reach for Michelin stars

Ask the average person on the street to describe The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and chances are you’ll get a similar response from most: groups of teenagers orienteering around hilly areas, building campfires and sleeping in tents. The expedition is certainly a crucial part, but there are plenty of other elements, including volunteering, physical development and skills. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) is one of four charities chosen for the Telegraph’s Christmas Charity Appeal this year. School staff routinely report growing confidence among participants, while universities and employers look out for it on applications, making it one of Britain’s most important youth-focused charities. The DofE Award is self-curated, meaning the young people who take part, mostly in their mid-teens, pick their own activities. In 2021, perhaps surprisingly, cooking was the most popular skill chosen by bronze and silver award participants, and the second most popular for gold. (Students can choose almost anything, with other favoured skills including playing an instrument, photography, first aid and singing and dancing.) Some might accuse Britain of having lost its connection with real food – and in many ways, that might be true – but its youngsters are clearly looking to turn things around.