Local students serve up feast with Swansea City AFC Foundation's 'Jack to a Chef' programme

Students from Dylan Thomas Comprehensive School joined Swansea City AFC Foundation at the Swansea.com Stadium to cook and serve a three-course meal as part of the 'Jack to a Chef' programme.

'Jack to a Chef' is a healthy-eating programme delivered by the Foundation in primary and comprehensive schools to educate students on nutrition, as well as showing them fresh meals that they can make at home.

Dylan Thomas Comprehensive students completed the five-week programme before joining the Swansea.com Stadium’s head chef Martyn Guest for three weeks of training and preparation. 

That helped get them ready for a final event where pupils, their parents and club representatives were invited for an evening at the home of the Swans. 

The 10 pupils were split into three teams and tasked with producing a starter, main course, and dessert for all 40 guests on the day, with food provided by stadium caterers Compass.

Rhys Davies, health and wellbeing officer at Swansea City AFC Foundation, felt the opportunity to take part in the programme will have had a great impact on the participants.

“This was a great opportunity for the pupils to be involved here at the stadium, to work closely with Martyn the head chef and get a real taste for what it would be like to cook for a large room of people,” said Davies.

“The dinner was a huge success, everyone was really complimentary of the food and I’m confident the participants will have taken a lot away from it.

“It allowed them to work on their communication and social skills, working with the chefs and each other, they stood up in front of everyone to speak - which takes a lot of courage - and did some amazing work.”

Guest was delighted with the application and commitment the young participants showed, and proud of the final products they produced.

“They’ve come and done a three-course meal from scratch, it’s a massive achievement for them,” said Guest.

“The attitude from the participants has been amazing, you would think that they were qualified chefs, and the delivery was absolutely fantastic.

“We’ve seen quiet students really come out of their shell and absolutely smash it out the park, hopefully it sets them in good stead.”

Allison Beck is the parent of one of the participants, and she was filled with pride to see the work her daughter Ffion had done.

“All three courses were amazing,” said Allison.

“I’ve had to take photos to share later because the presentation of it was amazing, I’ve really enjoyed it and it’s been nice to mingle with the other parents.

“Ffion is very shy, so when they said she would stand up and speak we were a little worried, but she did really well and I’m really proud of her.”