Children's Cooking Competition 2010

Calling Young Cooks
The Guild of Food Writers is inviting entries for its annual children’s cookery competition CookIt!, which is supported again this year by Gold Top milk.

To download an entry form please click here.

This year CBBC food adventurer and Gastronuts presenter Stefan Gates (pictured right) is challenging young cooks to ‘Create a dream meal for you and your friends’. Stefan is heading the panel of judges for the competition, which is open to children who were aged from 10 to 14 on Monday 31 August 2009.

The challenge for children taking part in this year’s competition is to let their imaginations run wild as they plan a delicious two-course meal designed to enchant and delight their friends. From all these meals, six finalists will be chosen to come to London to prepare their meals for a panel of judges including Stefan.


This hotly contested competition is a cornerstone of the Guild of Food Writers’ commitment to encouraging the younger generation to have a greater connection with good food.

Stefan, who is a member of the Guild, says, ‘I’m thrilled to be part of CookIt! this year. I love making food that’s fun, interactive and surprising. Mealtimes should be adventurous and the Guild of Food Writers’ CookIt! competition is a fantastic way to get children to explore ingredients and to get creative with their food. I cannot wait to see what the children cook up for this year’s competition!’

The winner of CookIt! 2009, 12-year-old Robbie Main (pictured left) from Lincoln, says ‘Travelling to London last June to take part in the final of the CookIt! competition was very exciting. Hearing my name called out as the winner came as a total surprise! I won a five-day-holiday for my family at a working Jersey dairy farm which included a brilliant cookery course. I was even invited onto Blue Peter for a cooking challenge with Ainsley Harriott!’

CookIt! is supported by Gold Top milk, which is produced by a cooperative of 400 British Jersey and Guernsey farmers.



The competition is open to children who were aged from 10 to 14 on Monday 31 August 2009. Their challenge is to create two dishes - a main meal that shows their imagination and originality and a scrummy dessert, ideally incorporating some milk.


The six finalists will be invited to London, with all expenses paid, on Thursday 10 June 2010 , where in the kitchens of the BBC Good Food Magazine (www.bbcgoodfood.com), they will prepare their meals for a panel of judges including Stefan Gates.

The closing date for entries is Friday 30 April 2010.

To download an entry form please click here.

Prizes

First Prize A four-night stay for a family of four at a working farm in Cornwall. The trip will include a guided tour of the farm, which produces Guernsey milk, cheese and veal.

Second Prize A Gastronuts workshop with Stefan Gates for the winner and three friends.

Third Prize To be confirmed

Runners up Each runner up will receive Lakeland’s new My Kitchen stick blender: great for whisking, whipping and blending, it comes with a balloon whisk attachment,
500ml chopping bowl and
500ml mixing beaker with lid.
www.lakeland.co.uk

To download an entry form please click here.

Gold Top Milk

For more information about Gold Top milk please contact Becky Wong on 020 7580 1770 or email .

To become a fan of Gold Top on Facebook please visit here.

Gold Top

Gold Top is produced exclusively from pedigree herds of British Jersey and Guernsey cows. Quality Milk Producers, the co-operative of 400 British Jersey and Guernsey dairy farmers who own the Gold Top brand, recognised the potential of Channel Island milk and have successfully expanded the Gold Top range which includes milk, cream and butter.





Over the years whole milk has had a lot of negative press and many people have switched to semi skimmed and skimmed due to the perceived high fat value. Consumer research shows that people believe the fat content of whole milk lies between 20 and 50%






Channel Island milk actually only contains 5% fat which is actually less then a packet crisps, a bowl of cereal or a take-out sandwich! The thicker consistency also makes Gold Top milk an ideal substitute for cream in many recipes. It allows indulgent dishes with fewer calories.





Guernsey milk contains 12% more protein and 15% more calcium while Jersey milk contains 18% more protein and 20% more calcium than average milk. Other health benefits include the fact that around 1/3 of the Gold Top milk’s fat is the healthy monounsaturated kind, which is associated with lowering blood pressure and keeping the heart healthy. Channel Island milk also contains more vitamin A and D than any other milk.






'In a time when there is concern over children’s diets we are delighted that Gold Top is involved in a project that encourages young children to take an interest in good food and start to think creatively about the food they eat. Our involvement in this prestigious competition allows us to highlight the Gold Top story to the hugely influential food writers and chefs who are members of the Guild of Food Writers, whilst at the same time promoting the brand to families with an interest in food.' Stephen Cavenagh, Chairman of the Quality Milk Producers.





Find out more at www.gold-top.co.uk.