Executive Head Chef Sam Cruikshank reflects on cookery project with local school
Executive Head Chef Sam Cruikshank has completed his fourth year supporting young cooks at Wood Farm Primary School, as part of an ongoing partnership between the local school and New College.
As part of this partnership, New College students and staff volunteer across a range of subjects, with Cruikshank taking the lead on a cookery-based project for the school's Year 4 pupils, aged eight and nine.
Each June, Cruikshank visits the school to deliver a short assembly introducing pupils to life as a chef, highlighting what a great job it can be and the range of different opportunities it can offer. The talk also touches on the importance of a balanced diet and healthy eating, alongside an introduction to the five basic tastes and how they can be combined to create different dishes and recipes.
Following the assembly, Cruikshank runs a practical demonstration for each class, covering knife skills and preparation techniques, and showcasing contrasting presentation styles to inspire the pupils' own creations.
'The children are very attentive and engaging throughout, and I'm always very impressed with their knowledge and interest in food,' Cruikshank reflected.
The visit is designed to give pupils inspiration for their own cookery project, which involves designing and preparing a savoury tart and salad. At the end of term, Cruikshank returns to the school to see the finished results alongside some of the children's parents.
"The results are always amazing," he added. "They demonstrated a great range of preparation techniques and a real variety in their presentation ideas. It is very heartening to see the pride they take in their work, and a great thing to be a part of and support."
The partnership between New College and Wood Farm Primary School is facilitated by the local charity Oxford Hub and aims to provide primary schools with access to college facilities and activities led by university students, like singing in the college chapel, workshops with academic tutors and lunches in the dining hall.
