From allotment to plate: Wicor pupils cook with chef Luke Emmess in hands-on food education day
Wicor Primary School in Portchester hosted a special food education session last week, bringing together Hampshire Fare, a local chef, and producers to highlight the importance of children understanding where food comes from.
The session saw Head Chef Luke Emmess from The Wykeham Arms (Hampshire Fare member and MasterChef: The Professionals finalist) work with pupils at Wicor for the first time, cooking alongside them in the school’s outdoor kitchen.
Pupils prepared dishes using ingredients from the school’s allotment and kitchen garden, supported by Hampshire Fare’s network of local producers.
The visit forms part of Hampshire Fare’s long-standing relationship with Wicor Primary School, which has supported food growing, sustainability, and food education for over a decade.
Pupils worked directly with Luke Emmess to harvest, prepare and cook food they had grown themselves, experiencing the full journey from garden to plate in a real outdoor setting.
Hampshire Fare Commercial Manager Natasha Dochniak said: ‘Wicor is an incredible example of what sustained food education can achieve over time. This isn’t a one-off activity, it’s embedded into the life of the school. When children grow food, cook it and eat seasonally, their relationship with food changes completely. It becomes real to them, and that understanding stays with them.’
Head Chef Luke Emmess said: ‘It was a real privilege to cook with the children at Wicor for the first time. Working outdoors in their kitchen garden made the experience really special. Cooking with food they’ve grown themselves is incredibly powerful — you can see how quickly it connects for them.’
Wicor Primary School has developed a strong reputation for food growing and environmental learning, with orchards, allotments and beehives embedded into everyday school life.
Hampshire Fare has worked with Wicor for over 10 years, supporting its development as a leading example of food education in practice, connecting schools with local producers, growers and chefs. The organisation continues to help young people build a deeper understanding of food provenance, seasonality and sustainability through practical, real-world experiences.
