Pupils become master chefs (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

Pupils at St John Fisher School, St Albans become master chefs

2:02pm Thursday 31st January 2013 in News By Zoe Forsey, Senior Reporter

Focaccia and pasta was on the menu when a team of professional chefs gave a group of lucky school children a cookery lesson.

Pupils at St John Fisher School in Hazelmere Road, St Albans, were visited by staff from Jamie Oliver’s restaurant Jamie’s Italian on Tuesday.

Debbie Concialdi, a member of the school’s PTA and lunchtime supervisor at the school, organised the session.

She said: "It was absolutely fantastic.

"The kids got so much from it. They are still talking about it now. It was excellent."

Restaurant manager Antony Merrett and chefs Michael Hall and Michael Balabanoff, baked focaccia bread with the children and pasta sauces.

Miss Concialdi added: "They taught them about herbs and different ingredients.

"The children were fascinated by it. They were taking it all in. It was lovely to see them like that."

The restaurant team also brought along a range of unusual vegetables and asked the pupils to guess what they were.

Mr Merrett said: "We loved it. It was just great to get out there and teach the little ones how easy it is to make simple foods with simple ingredients.

"They enjoyed making the bread because it was quite messy and they all got involved."