I still have a vivid memory of our first ever after-school cookery club. The doorbell rang and ten hungry and excited children, swinging their school bags and coats, spilled into our reception area. Tripping over each other to be the first, they bombarded me with questions about what we were going to do and make. I was just as apprehensive as the children, most of whom had no experience of cooking at all. It all made for a cocktail of nervous adrenaline and I seriously wondered how this culinary adventure was goingto turn out.
I run the Kids' Cookery School (KCS) in west London, and we have a special after-school cookery club every weekday. It is very popular and the same local children come back once a week in their regular slot. We start the children at five years old and take them up to 12. The children learn to prepare and cook a delicious healthy tea, which they then sit down and eat with friends and staff. It is very informal but lots of fun. We are trying to instil into the children a love of food and a flair for cooking. Every day, we see new evidence that children can soon become more confident and efficient and enjoy the feeling of happiness and safety in a kitchen environment with delicious results.
But back to that first afternoon - after the questions died down, the ten novices, hands washed, aprons on, set about the task of making their own pizza. 'Aren't all pizzas ready-made in packets?' asked one of the six-year-olds. 'No,' I replied. 'Pizza can, when possible, be made fresh.'
He was about to experience the joy of making his own pizza from scratch, including making, mixing and kneading the dough.
'Hold on!' I can hear you cry, 'We don't have a purpose-built children's'
cookery school with a teaching kitchen, so how do you expect us to teach the children how to cook?' There is no reason why you couldn't introduce an element of preparation and cooking into your own after-school club. It will however be slightly dictated by the type of facilities, equipment and resources you have available. But, as shown in the panel below, even the simplest food can be made as long as you follow the basic common-sense approach including the health and safety guidelines.
Today, I look back knowing that running an after-school club can be great fun. At times, it can also be exhausting and challenging - especially as the children have already had a hectic day in school and are often tired.
Keeping them occupied and inspired is hard work, and new ideas and activities are always welcome. So let me try to inspire you to attempt something new, through simple food preparation and cooking with the children.
What will I need?
Equipment: Look at your facilities and decide with your staff what is practically possible. This will include looking at whether you will serve hot or cold food. It will also depend on the number of children attending the club. One small hob or oven will not be sufficient if you have more than ten children. You will also need to look at the cooking equipment, mixing bowls, wooden spoons and so on. This will in turn decide the type of food you can make and, don't forget you will also have to look at cost and the overall budget. If it is a special one-off activity it might be possible to ask for a small donation from all the parents to help it get off the ground.
Heath and safety: The first thing you will need is running water and liquid soap so that the children can wash their hands before they start. They will also need an apron of some type, the best ones are those made of plastic vinyl as these are easy to keep clean and can be wiped down after each use.
Again, parents can help as they might have an old kitchen apron at home which can be borrowed.
The next thing you will need is a plastic tablecloth to put over your work benches or linen tablecloth. This is important. The plastic cover will need to be cleaned and wiped very well before use, preferably using an anti- bacterial spray.
You need to look hard at the safety issues, including the use of knives, scissors and graters during the session. Don't forget that cooking can be a hazardous occupation. But you can seriously reduce the dangers if you are aware of the potential pitfalls. If you plan for the cooking session well in advance and know exactly what you are going to prepare then you shouldn't have any problems. My advice would always be to go simple and make a positive impact rather that trying to be too adventurous and risking things going pear-shaped.
Check out children with food allergies or intolerances: Once you are sure that the facilities are safe and that it is practical for you to take on the cooking activity, you need to check with all the parents about any food allergies and intolerances. This is very important and will determine the success of your session. We ask parents to fill out a questionnaire regarding any details of food intolerances so that we can be sure everyone enjoys the experience without any incidents.
Seriously delicious
When our first after-school cookery session came to an end, you could tell from the children's faces and the empty plates that the club was a great success. We had proved to the children that making your own pizza is great fun and seriously delicious. With full tummies, they left the club with the obvious question, 'What are we going to make next week?'
With a glint in my eye I answered, 'Our own fresh egg pasta.'
'What, not from a packet miss?' came the inevitable remark.
As the door shut behind the excited children, I felt happy and confident that the cooking club was going to achieve its goal.
