Northampton teenagers launch pop-up restaurant with help from celebrity chef

Lucky Northampton school pupils cooked up their own three-course meal, with help from chef and TV presenter chef Mark Lloyd.
By Carly Roberts
Published 26th Nov 2019, 10:38 BST
TV presenter and chef, Mark Lloyd pictured by Kirsty Edmonds helping the children to cook for 100 people on Sunday evening at their school.TV presenter and chef, Mark Lloyd pictured by Kirsty Edmonds helping the children to cook for 100 people on Sunday evening at their school.
TV presenter and chef, Mark Lloyd pictured by Kirsty Edmonds helping the children to cook for 100 people on Sunday evening at their school.

More than 100 guests indulged in a superfood salad, a butternut squash risotto and a chocolate brownie with ice cream on Sunday night - all created and cooked by Year 11 students.

The set menu was put together by Weston Favell Academy pupils who are on their way to raising £1,000 for BBC Children in Need and Scope through their fundraising dinner after they kindly decided to give all proceeds to charity.

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The students, in assosciation with Mark Lloyd School Diners, worked from 10am on Sunday morning until 9pm to launch and run their specially designed pop-up restaurant with the help from TV presenter and chef Mark Lloyd who has appeared on River Cottege,Great British Waste Menu and The Hairy Bikers.

The school hall was transformed for the evening as the children led the way to cook for their parents.The school hall was transformed for the evening as the children led the way to cook for their parents.
The school hall was transformed for the evening as the children led the way to cook for their parents.

Deputy headteacher for Weston Favell Academy Kathryn Murphy said: "They were in from 10am in the morning until 9pm at night and they literally did everything.

"With the help of staff they really just excelled. It was beyond what we thought they could achieve."

As well as playing chefs for the night, the 15 students also dressed the tables, bought their own chef uniforms and served their lovingly cooked food to their paying guests.

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"The hall was set up with round tables, with table cloths and lights, which made it look like a restaurant," Kathryn added. "We were served a three course meal followed by coffee. There was no charge but you gave what you thought at the end.

The superfood salad pictured by Kirsty Edmonds ready to be served by the students.The superfood salad pictured by Kirsty Edmonds ready to be served by the students.
The superfood salad pictured by Kirsty Edmonds ready to be served by the students.

"It was an amazing once in a life time opportunity for the students. They have grown in confidence as well as the practical catering and hospitality skills they developed."

The night was topped off with a charity raffle, with Cobblers' and Northampton Saints' tickets as part of the winning prizes.

Related topics:NorthamptonKathryn Murphy