De Vere Venues’ Executive Chef John Woodward has announced the release of Cooks & Kids Too, his second cookery book in conjunction with The National Fostering Agency (NFA). All profits go to charity Place2Be, the leading UK provider of school-based mental health support for children.
Cook book with a difference
John, who led a team of talented De Vere Venues’ chefs, in addition to working with celebrity culinary stars Rick Stein, James Martin and Sophie Dahl, created a cook book with a difference, each recipe having been submitted by children looked after by the NFA, as well as birth children from some of the fantastic foster families the NFA supports.
Tasty and above all, fun, dishes featured in Cooks & Kids Too include a Roast Beef Sundae, served in the style of an ice-cream, and delicious Tutti-Fruity-Beauty Scones.
Child-friendly culinary master classes
John and his team worked with a number of De Vere Venues’ valued food and beverage suppliers including Fairfax Meadow, EBLEX, Fresh Direct and M&J Seafood, hosting a series of child-friendly culinary master-classes at De Vere Venues’ properties nationwide.
The children worked with the De Vere Venues team to create each of their dishes, who in turn showed the smaller chefs how to prepare their recipes safely and offered expert tips on making each plate look and taste delicious.
As well as picking up a number of hints from De Vere Venues’ chefs, the kids took to the great outdoors, visiting an asparagus farm, lambing farm and enjoying a day out at Billingsgate Fish Market, London.
Inspirational for the De Vere team
On the project, John Woodward comments; ‘’De Vere Venues is famously fanatical about food, delivering thousands of first class dishes to its guests each day. It was only natural that I, and the rest of the De Vere Venues team, leapt at the chance to be involved with the Cooks & Kids Too initiative after the success of the original Cooks & Kids cookery-book.’’
‘’Each day was truly inspirational for the team, with the children learning what it’s like to work in a professional kitchen environment and the skills required to receive qualifications and a career within the hospitality industry.
“In addition, all the chefs and suppliers involved gained huge satisfaction from spending time passing on their skills and knowledge to such a deserving group of youngsters. We feel exceptionally honoured to have been involved in the creation of Cooks & Kids Too.’’
Following the success of the first Cooks & Kids book, four of the young children involved are now studying to enter the hospitality industry.
Cooks & Kids Too is out now and is available from online outlets including Amazon. Further details can be found here
About De Vere Venues
With over 30 venues throughout the UK, De Vere Venues is the UK leader in training, meeting and conferences venues. De Vere Venues incorporates a diverse portfolio of city based business centres, listed country houses and unique venues. With an elite team, state of the art technology and equipment, acres of outdoor space, impressive signature restaurants and guest rooms – De Vere Venues leads the way in terms of space for the business and leisure tourist.
For more information click here
The post De Vere Venues and NFA create future Culinary Stars appeared first on Hospitality & Catering News.