This award is for Year 2 pupils (ages 6-7) and is written by teachers for teachers. It is mapped to the Key Stage 1 National Curriculum for ‘Cooking and Nutrition’, the new statutory Relationships education, relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education Curriculum (2020) and incorporates other curriculum areas such as English, Science, Maths and Geography. It also links to Ofsted’s new Common Inspection Framework by ‘Creating a culture and ethos of healthy eating’ (2022) as it supports pupils to gain knowledge of how to keep themselves healthy and make informed decisions about healthy eating.

The award is a ‘Family/Friend Challenge’, which can be delivered across 6 weeks with 2 hours of teaching time each week. Children learn basic chef skills, food hygiene and safety, nutrition, the benefits of the Mediterranean diet, blood sugar balance, staying hydrated and how to set the table. Cook at home recipes are also included to engage parents/carers. Each week within the classroom, children create a different course e.g. a dip for the starter with crudités, a sandwich for the main course with a side salad, a dessert and a drink.

Once signed up, teachers get full access to the website which contains teaching videos with the amazing chef, presenter and best-selling author Theo Michaels, lesson plans, weblinks and presentations. Pupils also receive a colour 16 page printed journal to record their progress and achievements.

No heat is required throughout the challenge and only minimal equipment such as 5 knives, 5 chopping boards, 5 graters, plates, cups and cutlery is required.

Feedback from both teachers and pupils has been excellent, especially around pupil engagement, motivation and practical hands on experience.

Captain Satsuma is delighted to endorse and support the Younger Chef of the Year award. The storybook ‘Captain Satsuma has Landed’ compliments and enhances the award, supporting a literacy focus and reinforcing the link between what we eat and our health.

‘Captain Satsuma has Landed’ is available as an individual classroom copy or as a guided reading set bundle (7 books) for an additional cost.

You can also purchase a pack of 2 UK Seasonal Fruit and Veg Guide, which is a perfect all year resource in the classroom, lovingly created by illustrator ICatRose. In this beautifully colourful visual guide, you will find a selection of the most common fruits and vegetables grown in the UK and a few favourites imported from Europe. Each month, you can turn a page and see what delicious ingredients are in season and ready to be tasted! Sold at an exclusive price for Schools/Nurseries.

The award is also supported by the College of Medicine and Integrated Health and accredited by the Nutritional Therapy Education Commission (2019-2024).