BUDDING young chefs were challenged to plate up their homegrown produce for classmates at Weaverham Primary Academy.
The Northwich Road school's Gardening Club members harvested rhubarb they had grown themselves, before donning chef whites to make an apple and rhubarb crumble for the whole school.
It is the first of their crop to be served this year for lunches on a menu devised by Harry Marquart, a former winner of Irish culinary TV show Head Chef.
Harry, who is now head chef for several schools run by North West Academies Trust (NWAT), said: "We got some cooking kits for the children and made the crumble with apples and rhubarb from the school gardens.
"Our goal is to build the cooking skills of the children way above and beyond the curriculum guidelines.
"We are developing the children’s skills via chopping, slicing, dicing, peeling, grating, mixing, kneading, whisking and beating.
"They are also learning to work together in the classes and help each other out.
"Cleaning up is still a skill they need to learn, but we're getting there!"
Weaverham Primary Academy
Head of school Jo Price added: "The children from the Gardening Club in year five and six picked the rhubarb and cooked it with apples to make a crumble.
"It was then served to the whole school with lunch on Thursday.
"They were so excited that they got to wear the chef hats and jackets too.
"Each Tuesday the children look after the school garden in Gardening Club.
"They have planted a wildflower area for bees, planted strawberries and herbs are next.
"Each week they try something that has been grown in the garden.
"They are keen to cook with chives next and they also have potatoes and raspberries growing, as well as peas and tomatoes in the greenhouse.
"A whole-school tallest sunflower competition is also taking place and once a winner has been decided the children will make a dish using sunflower seeds.
"The aim is to get the children to know where their food comes from and also to try new foods too.
"We want to encourage children to grow their own food at home too."
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