Jamie Oliver helps Horsham community cook learn new skills

Joanne Shanley learned how to make the most of surplus food donations and minimise food waste during the class.

Joanne will apply her new skills in her role at Jack and Jill Pre-school in Horsham which is one of 7,000 charities and community groups to receive free surplus food from Tesco stores via food distribution charity Fareshare, under the supermarket’s Community Food Connection scheme.

Speaking after completing the course, Joanne said: “It was good fun and some of the tips about nutrition were really helpful.

“I will now be able to use the skills and knowledge I learned to benefit the children here at the preschool.”

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The Tesco cookery school, launched in January of this year, helps to provide the community cooks with the food knowledge to make use of whatever is in the donations that arrive at their kitchen door – whether it is a bumper donation of seasonal produce or more unexpected ingredients.

Martyn Lee, Tesco development chef, said: “Tesco has donated more than 60 million meals’ worth of surplus food to date, but it wouldn’t have reached those in need of a good meal were it not for local community cooks like Joanne.

“I hope that Joanne took away a lot from the course and will put their new-found cooking knowledge to good use, while continuing her great work at the Jack and Jill Preschool.”

During the course, cooks learn everything from knife skills and nutrition to recipes for versatile base sauces, which can be adapted to compliment a wide variety of donated food.

Training is free and attendees receive cooking equipment, plus a folder of Jamie’s Oliver’s recipes.

Jamie Oliver said: “This is exactly what this programme is all about – learning new skills in the kitchen that can be passed on, all while helping to fight food waste.

“We want to give loads more amazing community cooks the confidence to create delicious, balanced meals from food that would otherwise have been thrown away. It’s about empowering charities with the knowledge and tools they need to help those who need it the most.”

Tesco is planning to train 1,000 community cooks through the Tesco Community Cookery School in 2019, with many cooks already signed up in West Sussex.


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