A new Welsh charity is planning to create an ‘army of chefs’ to change the way we eat and think about food.
Cegin y Bobl is the brainchild of Simon Wright and Carwyn Graves along with a host of Wales’ top chefs who are working together to transform the nation’s relationship with food.
The charity builds on the existing Cook24 project in Carmarthenshire that has seen hundreds of schoolchildren embark on six-week food discovery courses – and former foodbank users equipped with the skills and confidence to cook for themselves.
Chef Jen Goss said:
‘We’ve seen children as young as seven being given sharp knives and heat to work with ingredients and create something delicious – and the difference it’s made has been amazing. Children now eat a notably wider range of foods, parents say this has completely changed their child’s approach to mealtimes, teachers see children more engaged in learning, and adults, including cohorts of foodbank users, now feel confident in cooking healthy food from scratch.’
Their aim now is to scale and replicate this model across Wales, using the existing resource of independent hospitality that exists in every county.
According to restaurateur and founder Simon Wright:
‘This is what we have been crying out for as a society – if we don’t tackle these issues around food head on now – health, local supply chains, jobs, nature – then when? This is about tapping into the passion and skills that already exist out there in every community to make a real difference in a way that government can’t.’
Weather presenter Sian Lloyd has agreed to be one of the new charity’s patrons, saying:
‘As someone who is passionate about food, this is a cause close to my heart. I love the common sense, positive approach Cegin y Bobl are using to do something that matters to us all.’
The charity launches in Cardiff Bay on Thursday October 24th, and is now fundraising to secure the future so that its work can be rolled out across Wales.
