The initiative was led by David Taylor, chef director of Solihull-based Michelin-starred restaurant Grace and Savour and sister-site, Kynd.

Organised by Services for Education, as part of Birmingham’s Health for Life initiative the annual Cookathon saw over 44 primary schools from across the region cook along live with David.

The children learnt practical culinary skills first-hand and discovered the importance of healthy eating.  

The students aged six to 11 years old from Barford Primary School in Ladywood were selected for an in-person cooking lesson, with the students being guided through a smashed cucumber and chicken flatbread recipe designed by David for the event.

The session taught pupil’s key kitchen skills such as how to make dough from scratch, use a frying pan, and prepare chicken.

Thousands of other primary school students from across the UK, and one school in Australia, were invited to join the class virtually, and followed a step-by-step tutorial video which David had pre-recorded from the state-of-the-art kitchen at his restaurant, Grace and Savour, set in the grounds of Hampton Manor.

David said: “Getting children cooking and loving food is one of the most important things we can give our kids. Food creates community, health, relationships and an accessible craft which only means deliciousness for everyone.

“Health for Life's work is so important, and nothing gets people together like food, so getting kids mucky and exploring the wonderful results of what being creative with food can be like is something I’m hopeful they can take with them for the rest of their lives.”

This year marks the fifth Cookathon event, which forms part of the Health for Life programme, created and funded by Mondelēz International and delivered in Birmingham-based schools by Services for Education, a consultancy and support service for schools and educational settings.

Since its inception in 2011, the Health for Lifeprogramme has worked with 239 schools and engaged over 86,000 school children across Birmingham.

The programme provides support and resources to schools, focusing on growing food, healthy eating and physical activity with pupils growing their own fruit and vegetables in school and learning how to cook which encourages them to lead a healthy lifestyle.

Lucie Welch, Education Advisor at Services for Education, added: “The Cookathon event continues to be extremely popular, and has grown incredibly over the last couple of years.

“This year, we’re thrilled to have partnered with David, who has brought a wealth of knowledge and offered our young participants new insight from his expert culinary career, as he joins us as our lead chef.

“It’s always such a joy to witness all of the children cooking along to the same recipe at the same time, and we’re proud to help inspire young people to embrace the joy of cooking and living healthily, and we’re already looking forward to planning ahead for 2027!”