Teachers show how to cook with humour

Jun 29 2009 By Polly Manser

TEACHERS at The Beaconsfield School proved they have a sense of humour when they took part in a high-volume Ready Steady Cook style competition.

Senior members of staff – including the new head teacher – showed proved they're a dab hand in the kitchen when they cooked up a culinary feast under the scrutiny of over a hundred excited year seven students.

Two teams of teachers were given basic store cupboard provisions plus a set of ingredients – either red including mince, red peppers, and tomatos or green including sugar snap peas, broccoli and green pasta - and asked to come up with a delicious meal in an hour and a half which was then judged by pupils.

After the green team won the first round the pressure was on for reds Nigel Dudding, head teacher designate, and leader for maths Paul Barraclough in the second round when the found themselves up against the younger green team comprising leader for PE Paul Maddocks and maths teacher Oliver Ayllot.

The greens cooked up a good looking three course dish of pasta with broccoli and Thai Green Curry while the reds impressed with a Mexican theme of beef filled enchiladas with red pepper.

In the end, because students were evenly split over their support for the teams, the Advertiser's reporter and photographer were asked to make the final decision.

Under intense pressure from both sides, we opted for the red team, on the strength of its dessert; an exceptional strawberry crumble versus the green team's decidedly unimpressive sliced apple and cream.

Excuses were muttered by the greens about pancakes sticking to a sub-standard frying pan, but rules are rules. Our decision was not influenced by Mr Barraclough's attempt to bribe us with £20 in full view of students.

The competition was part of a design and technology week organised by leader for design and technology Therese Williams in which pupils in years seven to ten and some in year 12 were given time for special projects including designing and racing go karts, making and flying kites, and making aeroplanes.