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Heston Blumenthal adds dash of spice to home economics GCSE Heston Blumenthal adds dash of spice to home economics GCSE
(35 minutes later)
It is just after 5am and pupils at St Michael’s Catholic College in Bermondsey, south London, are starting to arrive at school for an early morning cooking lesson.It is just after 5am and pupils at St Michael’s Catholic College in Bermondsey, south London, are starting to arrive at school for an early morning cooking lesson.
Their teacher is award-winning chef Heston Blumenthal, famed for dishes like snail porridge and Sound of the Sea, a seafood medley accompanied by a soundtrack of crashing waves. Their teacher is the award-winning chef Heston Blumenthal, famed for dishes like snail porridge and Sound of the Sea, a seafood medley accompanied by a soundtrack of crashing waves.
We’re here so early in order to accommodate a breakfast television broadcast. The kids are on time; Heston is a bit late, and as filming gets underway, vice-principal Conor Mahon looks increasingly nervous. We’re here so early in order to accommodate a breakfast television broadcast. The children are on time but Blumenthal is a bit late, and as filming gets underway the school’s vice-principal, Conor Mahon, looks increasingly nervous.
“Oh lord,” he says as he waits to be interviewed on live television. “I don’t do cameras. I don’t do pictures,” and he dabs his brow with a handkerchief. “You’re redder than my pepper,” quips one of his students, chopping up vegetables ready to cook. “Oh lord,” he says as he waits to be interviewed on live television. “I don’t do cameras. I don’t do pictures.” He dabs his brow with a handkerchief. “You’re redder than my pepper,” quips one of his students, chopping up vegetables.
Later this month, after a six-month stint in Australia, Blumenthal is reopening his Michelin-starred restaurant the Fat Duck in Bray, Berkshire, where wealthy diners get to enjoy a tasting menu for a mere £255. Today he is cooking with kids at the crack of dawn because he has helped draft a new, more rigorous GCSE in food preparation and nutrition. Later this month, after a six-month stint in Australia, Blumenthal is reopening his Michelin-starred restaurant the Fat Duck in Bray, Berkshire, where wealthy diners get to enjoy a tasting menu for a mere £255. Today he is cooking with children at the crack of dawn because he has helped draft a new, more rigorous GCSE in food preparation and nutrition.
The number of pupils taking home economics GCSE has dropped by 20% since 2004, and with government emphasis on the core academic subjects there are fears it could decline further. Blumenthal, who has garnered an international reputation out of his multi-sensory, scientific approach to food, has been recruited to help boost its popularity in schools. The number of pupils taking a GCSE in home economics has dropped by 20% since 2004, and with government emphasis on the core academic subjects there are concerns it could decline further. Blumenthal, who has garnered an international reputation out of his multi-sensory, scientific approach to food, has been recruited to help boost the exam’s popularity in schools.
“The great thing about cooking is it engages all of the senses,” he says. “Can you think of another subject that can encapsulate every other subject you study in school? It covers history, it covers maths, it covers chemistry, physics, biology, English...” “The great thing about cooking is it engages all of the senses,” he said. “Can you think of another subject that can encapsulate every other subject you study in school? It covers history, it covers maths, it covers chemistry, physics, biology, English.”
The breakfast menu this morning is a study in eggs there are poached eggs, scrambled eggs, omelettes, meringues and choux pastry. For fun – and for the cameras – there is exotic ice cream, all made in a photogenic white puff of liquid nitrogen by children wearing Heston-style lab coats and protective goggles. The breakfast menu this morning is a study of eggs. There are poached eggs, scrambled eggs, omelettes, meringues and choux pastry. For fun – and for the cameras – there is exotic ice cream, all made in a photogenic white puff of liquid nitrogen by children wearing Heston-style lab coats and protective goggles.
The new GCSE, which Blumenthal has been working on with the OCR exam body, will be introduced next year to replace the old food technology GCSE, with a focus on the science and nutrition of cooking. The aim is to attract more boys to the subject. The new GCSE, which Blumenthal has been working on with the Oxford Cambridge and RSA exam body, will be introduced next year to replace the old food technology GCSE, with a focus on the science and nutrition of cooking. The aim is to attract more boys to the subject.
Devonte Sackitey, 13, is definitely interested. He’s in Year 9 and will soon choose his GCSE options. He thinks food and nutrition could open up lots of career paths. “I like cooking at home, mainly pasta because it’s quick. The main one I want to do is business and enterprise, but I’m keeping my options open.” Devonte Sackitey, 13, is definitely interested. He’s in year 9 and will soon choose his GCSE options. He thinks food and nutrition could open up lots of career paths. “I like cooking at home, mainly pasta because it’s quick. The main one I want to do is business and enterprise, but I’m keeping my options open.”
Jennifer Miller-Jackson, 13, has already decided in favour of food. “I really like making food. I think it’s a skill you need to know for everyday life when you are older. I make rice, peas and chicken. I make my mum’s famous Spanish chicken she really likes Heston.” Jennifer Miller-Jackson, 13, has already decided in favour of cookery. “I really like making food. I think it’s a skill you need to know for everyday life when you are older. I make rice, peas and chicken. I make my mum’s famous Spanish chicken. She really likes Heston.”
Vanessa Vu, 14, has also decided: “I’m not doing it at GCSE. I don’t think I’m good at cooking. My skills are in the more academic subjects.”Vanessa Vu, 14, has also decided: “I’m not doing it at GCSE. I don’t think I’m good at cooking. My skills are in the more academic subjects.”
Blumenthal, who went to John Hampden grammar school in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, didn’t study cooking in school. “I really enjoyed school. I worked hard until the age of 15 then I found other things that interested me mainly cooking and kick boxing.” Blumenthal, who went to John Hampden grammar school in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, did not study cooking in school. “I really enjoyed school. I worked hard until the age of 15 then I found other things that interested me, mainly cooking and kick boxing.”
He left with six O-levels and a single A-level in art. “I failed my chemistry A-level miserably, and then I found cooking. I had this experience as a kid in a restaurant in France and it was like falling down this rabbit hole into this wonderland.”He left with six O-levels and a single A-level in art. “I failed my chemistry A-level miserably, and then I found cooking. I had this experience as a kid in a restaurant in France and it was like falling down this rabbit hole into this wonderland.”
Now he wants to help others find their own rabbit hole. “I think this is about engagement, and the best way to learn is if you are engaged and you ask questions.Now he wants to help others find their own rabbit hole. “I think this is about engagement, and the best way to learn is if you are engaged and you ask questions.
“My luck was that I had come across a book by Harold McGee called On Food and Cooking; the Science and Lore of the Kitchen. It was all about ‘the why’ of cooking. From that moment I started questioning everything.“My luck was that I had come across a book by Harold McGee called On Food and Cooking; the Science and Lore of the Kitchen. It was all about ‘the why’ of cooking. From that moment I started questioning everything.
“The way the education system is set up is incredibly efficient. But because it has become so efficient there’s no room for creativity. We don’t encourage kids to question. It’s exams, exams, exams.” “The way the education system is set up is incredibly efficient, but because it has become so efficient there’s no room for creativity. We don’t encourage kids to question. It’s exams, exams, exams.”
His son has just graduated from the University of West London with a degree in culinary arts and, like his dad, now wants to get into the restaurant business. “I’m very proud of what he’s done,” says Blumenthal, before being summoned back to the eggs and the cameras. His son has just graduated from the University of West London with a degree in culinary arts and, like his dad, now wants to get into the restaurant business. “I’m very proud of what he’s done,” Blumenthal said, before being summoned back to the eggs and cameras.
He watches Kathleen Phillips, 15, struggle with her choux pastry she’s done it at home perfectly, but today the gelatinisation process has not worked well. “Heston was very calm,” she says. She’s already studying for her food GCSE, but isn’t thinking of making a career out of it. “I want to become a dentist.” He watches Kathleen Phillips, 15, struggle with her choux pastry. She’s done it at home perfectly, but today the gelatinisation process has not worked well. “Heston was very calm,” she said. She is already studying for her food GCSE, but isn’t thinking of making a career out of it. “I want to become a dentist.”
Grace Reid, head of design and technology at St Michael’s, would like the government to put more emphasis on her subject area. “For many students the academic route is not always the best route. With food and home economics, a lot of them can see real careers in it. Grace Reid, the head of design and technology at St Michael’s, would like the government to put more emphasis on the subject area. “For many students the academic route is not always the best route. With food and home economics, a lot of them can see real careers in it.
“Sometimes with the academic subjects it’s difficult for them to see where they can go from there. It would be nice if the government recognised the more creative subjects as being as valid as the more academic ones.”“Sometimes with the academic subjects it’s difficult for them to see where they can go from there. It would be nice if the government recognised the more creative subjects as being as valid as the more academic ones.”
As Heston moves on to radio interviews, the poached eggs and choux buns sit forlornly on plates as the children make a beeline for the ice cream, flavoured with vanilla, cinnamon, popping candy, banana and caramel. “It’s so smooth,” says Byron Wheeler, 14, peering through his goggles and licking an enormous spoonful. As Blumenthal moves on to radio interviews, the poached eggs and choux buns sit forlornly on plates as the children make a beeline for the ice cream, flavoured with vanilla, cinnamon, popping candy, banana and caramel. “It’s so smooth,” says Byron Wheeler, 14, peering through his goggles and licking an enormous spoonful.
Then it’s back to class – to maths, and English, history and French. The students may have got in shortly after 5am, but they’re not getting to go home early. Then it’s back to class – maths, English, history and French. The students may have got in shortly after 5am, but they’re not getting to go home early.