Join us for our open evening at Leiths on Wednesday 13 May 2026, 6.30–8.30pm, and discover how the Culinary Diploma can launch your career in food.
Join us for our open evening at Leiths on Wednesday 13 May 2026, 6.30–8.30pm, and discover how the Culinary Diploma can launch your career in food.
Three of the most recognised names in British food joined Leiths at Parliament to back its mission. Dame Prue Leith, Delia Smith CH and Stanley Tucci have all lent their support to Leiths’ call for every primary-age child in the UK to leave school knowing how to cook from scratch – made possible by Leiths making its KS1 & KS2 programme free to every non-fee-paying pre-school and primary-age child in the UK.
Dame Prue Leith, who founded Leiths in 1975, spoke about the direct link between practical cookery in schools and the health of future generations.
‘The best way to create the healthiest generation of children in history is to make sure that they have the skills to cook healthy meals from scratch. Practical cookery in primary schools gives children these skills, as well as the confidence and curiosity to cook at home, opening up myriad opportunities for their health, education and futures.’
Delia Smith, widely recognised as the woman who taught the nation to cook, spoke about the need to remove the fear of cooking – and why that work has to start early.
‘All I’ve tried to do in my career is take away the fear of cooking, because people can’t cook unless someone shows them how. In order to feel confident in the kitchen, cookery lessons need to start early on, in primary school, where children are naturally curious and want to be creative. When a child learns to make a simple meal, they’re learning far more than a recipe. They’re learning about nutrition, about where food comes from, about self-sufficiency – and that they can feed themselves properly, which is one of the most empowering things we can teach.’
Stanley Tucci – actor and committed home cook – became involved with Leiths after seeing first-hand the gap in cookery education available to his own children.
‘It does seem a failure of our education system that so many children are leaving school without the skills to cook delicious, healthy meals from scratch. When children don’t learn to cook, they miss out on basic skills but also on some of the greatest joys and pleasures of life.’
Leiths’ research shows that 75% of primary pupils do not receive regular practical cookery lessons. A year-long pilot across 45 diverse schools with over 4,600 pupils found hands-on cooking lessons delivered significant improvements in pupils’ cooking skills, understanding of healthy eating and key life skills. Drawing on that evidence, Leiths has made its primary cookery programme free to all non-fee-paying pre- and primary schools across the UK.
‘Leiths really understand the barriers that schools face in delivering food education and importantly how to overcome them. Practical cooking in primary schools ticks so many boxes – from teaching children transferable life skills to benefitting their broader education including everything from literacy to maths and science. We want to work with the Government and schools to teach all children to cook and to use food education as a powerful tool to engage children across the wider curriculum.’