Queen’s College, Taunton, has proudly launched its new state-of-the-art Teaching Kitchen and partnered with Leiths Education of London, and the University of Roehampton in London marking a new significant milestone in culinary education in the South West. The grand opening event welcomed over 20 renowned chefs, including four Michelin-starred culinary experts: Dame Prue Leith DBE, Michael Caines MBE, Chef Simon Hulstone, and Chef Mark Dodson.

The special event was inaugurated by celebrity food broadcaster, presenter and writer Dame Prue Leith DBE, who cut the ribbon officially opening the new state-of-the-art Teaching Kitchen. Special guests were treated to an exquisite selection of canapés and a drinks reception prepared by a team of talented Food and Nutrition pupils at school alongside Head Chef Jordan Bradley.

Throughout the opening the Queen’s pupils had the opportunity to network with Prue Leith and the other esteemed chefs, asking questions about their careers and culinary expertise.

When cutting the ribbon, Dame Prue Leith DBE stated:

“Queen’s College, Taunton, is the best school I have ever seen for food, and I have been to a lot of schools! If every school had this attitude we would have a generation of healthier children” 

“It’s wonderful to see a school do what every school should do, take food seriously, I just feel so passionately that we have a duty to teach young people to eat, teaching them to cook is fine, but if we can just teach them to understand food and to love good food, to love healthy food, we set them up for life”

Joe Mann, Head of Food, Art & Design at Queen’s College, also shared his enthusiasm:

“There is a growing disconnect between young people and where their food comes from. Every day, we work to bridge that gap. Teaching a love for food, a passion for cooking, and a deeper understanding of how to eat well. The opening of our brand-new teaching kitchen is a significant step forward in our mission to achieve this. We are thrilled to have welcomed over 20 renowned chefs, including Dame Prue Leith and Michael Caines MBE, joining us in championing this cause. Their support highlights the importance of food education and the impact Queen’s College can have on future generations.”

Maria Dunbar, CEO of Leiths Education, commented on the significance of this collaboration:

“Joining the world of professional catering and hospitality has changed radically in the past ten years and more young people are attracted to it. This generation understands that the opportunities it offers are diverse: recipe developers, food stylists, journalists, TV production, photography and, of course, as chefs. Investment in their education and training needs to keep pace which is why we are so pleased to be providing our courses for this new, exciting development at Queen’s College.”

In addition to delivering the Leiths Education courses to our pupils, Queen’s College has been chosen as a placement school by the University of Roehampton. They will use the new state-of-the-art Teaching Kitchen to provide a new Food and Nutrition Teacher training qualification.

There were a number of special guests who were slightly more familiar with the College. Queen’s College Alumni from the culinary industry returned to school including Chef Kate Michaels, a Young Chef of the Year finalist and Cordon Bleu graduate. Another alumni offering their knowledge to Queen’s College students was award-winning food author Chef Miranda Shearer, a Taste of the West Gold Award recipient.

Students Hannah and Ellie were amongst those who had the honour of preparing food for Prue Leith and shared their experience:

"Cooking for Dame Prue with our Head Chef, Jordan, yesterday was a truly eye-opening experience. It gave me a real sense of what it will be like to work in the industry when I’m older. Having the opportunity to cook for such renowned chefs was an incredible honour."

"The entire journey of learning about food and nutrition has been an incredible experience. Having a brand-new kitchen to continue that learning makes it even more exciting. It’s an amazing opportunity to develop new skills and deepen our understanding of food in a hands-on way."

The launch of the new teaching kitchen represents a significant step forward in Queen’s College’s commitment and investment into culinary education. This initiative will provide students with invaluable hands-on experience, ensuring they are well-equipped to pursue diverse and exciting careers in the food industry.