Cardiff Catering’s Executive Chef Martin Payne is taking his culinary expertise on the road and armed with his saucepans, knife and wooden spoon, he’s off to Llanedeyrn High School this weekend to spread the news that cooking can be fun, quick and easy.
Members of the school and wider community of Llanedeyrn are invited to watch Martin’s live cooking demonstration on Saturday 2 October, when he will show the audience just how easy it is to create healthy, nutritious and affordable meals in little more than 10 minutes.
And to prove it doesn’t take all day slaving over a hot stove to make good food, he will also be taking on the ‘pot noodle challenge’, a race against the clock when he will make a fresh, mouth-watering noodle-based soup in the same time as it takes to make the well-known noodle snack.
The scents and aromas of fresh herbs and spices will fill the school hall as Martin rustles up two easy dishes – meatballs and pasta sauce and chicken jambalaya – while talking the audience through each step of the process. The action will be filmed and projected live on a big screen in the hall. There’ll also be the opportunity to ask Martin questions, taste the delicious finished product and take away recipe cards that will be available at the event to try cooking the dishes at home.
There will be two Live ‘N’ Cooking demonstrations on the day culminating in the ‘pot noodle challenge’ when Martin’s soup and the snack are put to the taste test and a winner announced.
The Live ‘N’ Cooking event is aimed at promoting cooking to children, young people and their families and to show the importance of eating a healthy, well-balanced diet as part of a healthy lifestyle.
Following the Llanedeyrn community event, Martin and his Live ‘N’ Cooking roadshow will be visiting a number of high schools throughout the city with the healthy eating message during November and December.
Martin has developed a range of dishes aimed at igniting the culinary imaginations of young people in the city’s schools, which he will showcase in live demonstrations. The first phase of this initiative is aimed at sixth form students, teaching them about the benefits of healthy eating in a stimulating environment.
Executive Member for Education and Lifelong Learning, Cllr Freda Salway, said: “The Live ‘N’ Cooking initiative is a fantastic way to get young people interested in healthy eating. Martin will be demonstrating the art of cookery, introducing new ingredients, exciting techniques, and speaking to the young people about the health benefits of foods and the importance of knowing how to cook and feed themselves properly.
“Martin’s enthusiasm for good food and cooking is infectious so I’m sure everyone who sees him in action will enjoy watching him, sampling his food and most importantly, take in the healthy eating message.
“We are all leading increasingly busy lives but that should not mean there is no time to prepare and enjoy good food. Martin’s meals are simple and quick so I’d urge young people and their families to give them a try.”
