Sophie Wright brings school pancake days to life

Sophie visited two primary schools in Enfield, London, to give them a taste of what being a professional chef is all about, as well as some hands on cooking experience. "We wanted to show the children just how fun cooking can be and Pancake Day was the perfect opportunity to do this," commented Alan Evans, executive training chef, Electrolux Professional, who accompanied Sophie on the trip. "There was a real mix of ages present, from four right up to 11 and it was fantastic to see how enthusiastic they were about the idea of cooking and eating food they had made themselves. This is what we need to be doing in order to really get the healthy eating message across at an early age. Working with a young and successful chef such as Sophie who can relate to the children is the perfect way to do this." Sophie commented: "What struck me about the day was how well the kids responded to the idea of cooking – when I asked who would like to be a chef most of the hands in the room shot up. I wanted to show that cooking is a fun creative thing to do and something kids can really aspire to – whether at home or as a living when they grow up. "Throughout the cooking demonstrations we really focused on getting the kids involved – from flipping pancakes to mixing the batter – hopefully giving them the confidence to go home to their parents and do it all over again." Other aspects of the day included vegetable recognition sessions with children as young as four, a Q&A with years five and six, and chats with the kitchen staff at both schools.