We want all children to enjoy the fun that can be had in the kitchen and learn important life skills along the way. That’s why we’re sponsoring the Buster’s Bake Off 2019 competition.

Inspired by the phenomenal success of The Great British Bake Off, Buster’s Bake Off encourages children to discover the joy of baking whilst raising money for important road safety and literacy work with schools.

Buster’s Bake Off is organised by the children’s educational charity Inspire Schools, which operates in Kent as the KM Charity Team. The sponsored competition challenges primary and secondary school children from London, Kent and Sussex to showcase their baking skills, creating sweet and savoury sensations and helping to raise funds for the charity’s Walk on Wednesday initiative and Buster’s Book Club.

Schools have already held their sponsored Buster’s Bake Off heats and children across the region are preparing for the final in September.

Our sales director, Peter McKenna, is on the judging panel and he’s looking forward to a grand final of taste sensations. He will be joined by Great British Bake Off star, Jane Beedle, who was a finalist in the 2016 series of the popular baking show.

Peter said: “Principals by CH&CO is really excited to be involved in Buster’s Bake Off. Eating well is an important life skill and one that every child has a right to learn. We celebrate good food and give children the opportunity and confidence to see, smell, taste, feel and get hands on with different ingredients. Buster’s Bake Off epitomises this!”

“It’s massively important to get children engaged with food, get them into the kitchen, and get them experimenting with food with their families. It’s great that so many schools have got involved with the baking and also raised money for road safety and literacy initiatives – all of which give children a great head start in life. I’m looking forward to the final and being able to taste everything that’s been made. The big event coincides with the 2019 series of The Great British Bake Off on Channel 4, so we’re fully expecting baking fever to take hold!”

Entrants are required to create a sweet or savoury bake that uses a maximum of ten ingredients and can be made in a 90-minutes or less.

Best of luck to all the finalists!

Eating well is an important life skill and one that every child has a right to learn. We celebrate good food and give children the opportunity and confidence to see, smell, taste, feel and get hands on with different ingredients. That’s why we jumped at the chance of sponsoring the Young Cooks competition.

Young Cooks is organised by the children’s educational charity Inspire Schools, which operates in Kent as the KM Charity Team. The exciting cookery competition is designed to inspire children aged 6-19, from London, Kent and Sussex, to get creative in the kitchen.

With three categories to choose from, Primary School, Secondary School and Family, the MasterChef-style event encourages children and families to embrace the joy of cooking, whilst learning important life skills such as healthy eating, budgeting, lifestyle choices and seasonal, local produce.

There are cash prizes for the winners of each category, and a top prize of £200 for the overall champion.

Peter McKenna, sales director for Principals by CH&CO, took part in the official launch of the competition at Chequers Kitchen Cookery School in Deal. He went head to head with fellow judges in a challenge to create the best bacon, maple and spring onion scones. Head chef Pieter Van Zyl put them through their paces giving a taste of what’s in store for Young Cooks finalists.

“In our schools we encourage families to cook together through family cookery workshops, so it’s great to see that Young Cooks celebrates this too. I urge all schools, youth groups, parents, grandparents and guardians to get involved and encourage children and families to experience the joy and benefits that cooking, and cooking together, can bring. I wish everyone entering the very best of luck.”

Peter went on to say: “Young Cooks is a fantastic competition and we’re thrilled to be a sponsor. Our mission in all the schools that we work with is to make food fun for everyone, whilst teaching important life skills and the importance of nutritious food and cooking. It doesn’t get much more fun than getting stuck in and letting your creativity run wild in the kitchen! I certainly enjoyed baking with fellow judges at the launch. As the Garden of England, Kent is blessed with an abundance of delicious produce throughout the year, so the children should have plenty of inspiration.”

Entrants are required to cook one or two dishes – depending on competition category – and upload a photograph and recipe details to the Young Cooks website. The simple online entry form is to be completed before midnight on 7 November. Parents, guardians or teachers can assist in completing the online form.

Finalists will be invited to cook their signature dishes at a MasterChef-style cook-off which will be held at East Kent College in November.

Click here to watch the exciting video.

Any entries received by September 1 will go into a prize draw to win a pair of Eurostar tickets.

For more details, to request free promotional leaflets, or to enter, visit www.YoungCooks.org.uk or contact Hannah Hawksworth at [email protected] or on 0844 264 0291.