Pub cook goes back to school

Pupils at a Devon primary school are learning more about food thanks to Matthew Mason, head chef at the Jack in the Green pub near Exeter.

Matthew is hoping to fire up the pupils at West Hill Primary School with the same enthusiasm for local produce which has put the pub on the map. His four year old son Charlie is in pre-school at West Hill

Working closely with head teacher Sue Nield and science subject Leader Sue Bedford, Matthew will organise visits to farms, producers and even to the Jack in the Green itself, to help the children understand the source of their food comes from.

Food miles, freshness, seasonality and experimenting with ingredients will all form part of the programme.

The initiative kicked off with Matthew meeting all six classes at the school, with a 'show and tell' session featuring different types of fruit and vegetables.

This was followed up with an educational visit to Darts Farm, where Class 1 were shown around the fields before spending time with the butcher and fishmonger, and then helping to make bread and soup for lunch.

Matthew says: "I hope that with the right nurturing education and encouragement our children can also grow up with the same feelings of comfort and satisfaction that surrounded my childhood."

He believes children need more than a recipe, they also "need to understand the reasons behind what they are doing. One clear message that cannot be understated is that the best food is always prepared using only the best ingredients."