What happens when students step into a professional kitchen and are challenged to think differently about food?
Students from Christ Church CE Secondary Academy recently found out, taking part in a hands-on “MasterChef-style” experience focused on tackling food waste at Xcelerate with Edgbaston, in partnership with Chartwells Schools.
The day formed part of Stop Food Waste Day 2026 and gave students the chance to explore a real-world sustainability issue first-hand.
Turning learning into action
After an introduction to the impact of food waste, students quickly moved from theory to practice, working alongside professional chefs to explore how simple ingredients can be transformed into something new.
From rethinking leftovers to making more sustainable choices, the session challenged students to:
- Get creative with surplus ingredients
- Understand the real impact of food waste
- Make smarter, more sustainable decisions in everyday cooking
More than just cooking
While the kitchen was the setting, the learning went far beyond food.
Experiences like this help students build problem-solving and teamwork skills, alongside a deeper understanding of sustainability and global issues.
This was a brilliant example of learning beyond the classroom in action.
