The star of Saturday Kitchen and Strictly Come Dancing, best-known for his delicious desserts, proved what a sweetie he really is by giving his time to support Focus on Food Week by putting on his chef’s whites and cooking with the children aboard the Food Standards Agency Cooking Bus.

'This is what counts,' he said. 'People on the ground teaching children how to cook.'

James has supported the Focus on Food Campaign since it began almost a decade ago. He said he was delighted to see it going from strength-to-strength.

'This is a great concept. Children do not have the ability to do cooking in schools – the cooking classroom at my old school is no longer there, it is an English classroom! It is one of the fundamental requirements for life and we have to learn to cook.'

James took time–out to support the Focus on Food Campaign’s annual awareness week by joining the youngsters aboard one of Focus on Food’s Cooking Buses – gigantic articulated lorries which open out into unique kitchen/classrooms. The buses travel the country giving cooking lessons to primary and secondary school children and teaching teachers and others in the community. The bus James joined is sponsored by the Agency and travels England bringing cooking lessons to children and adults, giving priority to schools in low income areas.

James went down on his knees to demonstrate some basic cooking techniques to the five and six year olds from Hasland Infant School, Chesterfield in Derbyshire. He made vegetable kebabs, scrumptious salads and fruit smoothies from produce grown in the school garden.

James, who told the children he first started cooking at the age of six when he made shortbread, helped them perfect their techniques. Delighted mums were able to watch as cameras inside the bus broadcast what was going on via a plasma screen on the side of the bus.

One mum must have blushed though, as a little girl proudly told him: 'My mum fancies you!'

The Focus on Food Campaign is the UK’s leading food education outreach programme. The Cooking Buses are staffed by qualified teachers who teach children and the wider community how to cook through hands-on experience. They also train teachers and health professionals how to deliver quality cooking lessons in the Curriculum.

James has been involved with the school garden project at Hasland for about eight months.

He first met renowned gardener Gerald Treweek during filming for the BBC programme The Great British Village Show. Gerald was keen to start a vegetable garden at his grandson’s school in Chesterfield and James was happy to lend his support.

'To me it has been the culmination of eight months work. And to have something like the Cooking Bus come as well is brilliant,' said James.

It was the first time James had visited the school and its garden. It was he that suggested the Cooking Bus should visit to inspire the children and staff to cook what they were growing. He also called in to say hello to the dinner ladies – crossing the playground to cheers and cries of 'Saturday Kitchen' from the youngsters.

'We believe cooking is a key life skill which should be taught to all pupils in all schools throughout their time in education,' said Anita Cormac, director of the Focus on Food Campaign.'

'It is very heartening to have support from people like James, who can help spread the message of the Focus on Food Campaign.

James finished the visit by giving an exclusive demonstration of his trademark sugarcraft. Little faces lit up in disbelief as he turned the white granules into intricate and elaborate spun sugar swirls and cages, golden candyfloss from the golden boy.

'He’s just magic!' said one little fan.

Notes

About us | How we work | Help | Site Map | Accessibility | Access Keys | Complaints Procedure | Terms and conditions | Feedback | Freedom of information | direct.gov.uk

© Crown copyright