What was it like teaching cookery to teenagers in East London in the 1970s?
My book, Cream Horns & Vol-au-Vents, looks back at my experiences as a young teacher, trying to teach teenagers how to cook in a very different world.
Those were the days when cookery lessons could involve making cream horns, vol-au-vents and other elaborate dishes that had remarkably little to do with the practical business of feeding yourself.
Looking back, I sometimes wonder quite what we thought we were preparing our pupils for!
But teaching was never just about the recipes. It was about the young people, the classroom, the challenges and the funny, frustrating and unforgettable moments along the way.
Cream Horns & Vol-au-Vents is my account of teaching cookery in East London during the 1970s, and of an approach to food education that now seems a world away.
It’s a story about teaching, teenagers and changing times — with plenty of cooking along the way.
Thanks for reading