Youngsters at Rhos primary school learn to make authentic pizza with top chef

Youngsters at a local primary school have been learning how to make authentic pizza courtesy of a top chef.

Stephen Griffiths, Development Chef at Harlech Foodservice, recently visited Ysgol Maes y Mynydd, in Rhosllanerchrugog, to help pupils turn out Italy’s answer to Welsh rarebit.

He had prepared a ball of pizza dough for each pupil and for staff members to join in, rolling them out and topping them with cheese, tomato, mushroom, sweetcorn, peppers, salami and even pineapple.

The handmade creations were then popped in by school staff before the tasty-looking pizzas were be popped into boxes to be enjoyed at home.

Harlech food service; Pizza making at Ysgol Maes Y Mynedd Rhosllanarchrugog. Eva Hale. (L/R) Ella Jones, Odin Bowkett-Pullen, Deakon Watson, Julie Hughes, Jane Hand, Rhys Wright, Harlech Development Chef Stephen Griffiths and Lilymay Lingard. (Picture Mandy Jones)

The cookery lesson featured as part of the ‘Welsh Local Government Association 12 days of Food and Fun’, which sees Harlech Foodservice work with schools across north east Wales.

“It’s about the field to fork initiative and is such a healthy thing to do and helps them learn about the value of good food and the pleasure you can get not just from eating it but from preparing it too,” said Stephen.

“It helps them learn about the value of good, healthy food and we have included at least one vegetable in each pizza and ensured they have the right kind of cheese, mozzarella.

“It’s also important to learn about the right use of quantities – we don’t want too much tomato. No-one wants a soggy bottom.

“It’s so important for young people to learn about the value of good food at an early age and to understand and enjoy preparing and cooking healthy and tasty meals and hopefully it encourages the whole family to get involved.”

Harlech food service; Pizza making at Ysgol Maes Y Mynedd Rhosllanarchrugog. Tarik Ozdemir. (Picture Mandy Jones)

The Food and Fun Programme was organised through Wrexham County Borough Council’s Healthy Schools Team and ran from Monday to Thursday for the first three weeks of the summer holidays.

It has had a big thumbs-up from pupils and staff according to Ysgol Maes y Mynydd’s Well-Being Manager Jane Hand who said: “We have been working with Harlech Foodservice and Wrexham County Borough Council to provide healthy breakfasts, snacks and lunches during the 12 days of Food and Fun.

“We are also supporting families in what is a difficult economic climate and as well a taking home a pizza today the pupils will be taking home a bag of store cupboard essentials funded by WLGA and chosen by Wrexham Council and Harlech Foodservice to be healthy and nutritious as well as tasty.

Harlech food service; Pizza making at Ysgol Maes Y Mynedd Rhosllanarchrugog. Lilymay Lingard. (Picture Mandy Jones)

“What we are teaching them is to have a healthy lifestyle for life and the best time to teach them that is when they are young because they really take it on board.”

Stephen Griffiths was impressed with the pupils’ efforts and they were looking forward to taking home them home with Ella Jones saying: “I liked rolling the dough out and putting sweetcorn on it and I’m going to take it home to eat.”

Odin Bowkett-Pullen said: “I cook pizzas at home and I’ve really enjoyed choosing the different toppings and putting them on. I’ll take it home and share it with my dad.

Harlech Foodservices has bases at Criccieth, in Gwynedd, Chester and Merthyr Tydfil and between the three locations, the company employs around 200 staff and runs a fleet of vehicles to deliver up to 5,000 product lines to cafés, restaurants, pubs and public sector customers across Wales, Shropshire, the Midlands and the North West.