Chewton Glen is helping National School Meals Week as it Gets Supporting schools today.

The hotel has combined with the Local Authority Caterers Association to create two onlinevideos and an assembly for teachers. The materials that can be found at www.iloveschoolmeals.co.uk help pupils learn how to make a fruit smoothie and lay up a table for different courses. The videos are hosted by Alastair Philips, Assistant Restaurant Manager, at Chewton Glen.

Alastair said, "I often visit schools or welcome pupils to the hotel. I am very keen to stress the importance of a healthy lifestyle but making sure it is fun and enjoyable for everyone involved. I believe it is vital that we encourage young people to have an interest in good quality, healthy food. If we can inspire them at an early age at school they will develop life skills that will help them for many years ahead and they might eventually work in the hotel
industry".

Richard Ware who is Head of CCS the catering service in Cambridgeshire, added, "We are working with the Hotel Du Vin in Cambridge and a group of children from St Albans Primary School is visiting the hotel. Before the week there is a competition to create a special dish and the winning dish will be cooked at the hotel on the morning of Tuesday 9th November. The pupils will meet the Head Chef and have a chance to ask him questions. They will then meet Emma, the Bistro Manager and be shown how to lay up a table. Then Dave, the Bar Manager, will make some healthy smoothies for the pupils to try. After all that the Chef and Bistro Manager will walk back to school and help serve a school lunch. I must say a thank
you to everyone at the Hotel du Vin for all their help, they have been brilliant and I know the children will learn and experience a great deal".

In Chester a party of pupils from The Arches Community Primary School in Blacon will attend The Coach House in Northgate Street. During their visit they will hear about the importance of a balanced diet, be shown how to set a table, make a delicious fruit cocktail and given some cookery tips by head chef, James Cooke.

Afterwards the pupils will be treated to the The Coach House version of a school lunch cooked by James.

Sally Williamson the children's teacher said, "We believe that by teaching young people about food and other aspects of the catering industry it will give them an interest in food that lasts a lifetime. This is vital in our efforts to encourage young people to lead healthy and active lifestyles. The pupils are really excited about their visit to The Coach House as it's a different way of learning for them."

Neil Owens, Director at the Coach House, said, "We are very pleased at being able to support National School Meals Week in this way after all there is no such thing as junk food but you can have a junk diet so educating our young people in the importance of balance in their diet and exercise is vital for us all"