Fiona Hamilton-Fairley facts for kids
| Born | 1963 England |
|---|---|
| Cooking style | Children's cooking |
Fiona Hamilton-Fairley, born in 1963, is a very important person in the world of cooking for kids! She is the founder and CEO of The Kids' Cookery School in Acton, West London. She started this special cooking school for children in 1995. Fiona has also written three books about cooking. In 2019, she was given a special award called the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her amazing work.
Contents
Fiona Hamilton-Fairley: Helping Kids Cook!
Her Cooking Journey
After training at a famous cooking school called Cordon Bleu, Fiona Hamilton-Fairley worked as a chef. She even started her own company that provided food for businesses.
Fiona discovered her passion for teaching cooking in 1987. She began teaching adults how to cook in different learning centers across London.
The Kids' Cookery School: A Special Place
Fiona Hamilton-Fairley started The Kids' Cookery School (KCS) in 1995. She worked hard to raise money to build special kitchens just for teaching. These kitchens are located in Acton, West London.
Children from 3 to 16 years old come to KCS for hands-on cooking lessons. They learn how to make healthy food using fresh ingredients. Each year, almost 13,000 children learn to cook at The Kids' Cookery School! The main goal of the school is to teach kids how to make healthy food choices. It also helps them learn important life skills. Fiona found that many parents think cooking skills are important. However, most parents don't have enough time to teach their own children.
KCS offers special help to children who might not usually get to learn cooking. This includes kids who are struggling in school or who have special needs. The school mostly focuses on making savory foods that children will enjoy eating. They also teach kids about kitchen safety and how to work with raw ingredients.
In 2009, Fiona's Kids' Cookery School started a program called 'KCS on wheels'. This means experienced chefs travel to different communities. They bring cooking lessons to children who might not be able to visit the school in London.
Fiona Hamilton-Fairley has always believed that children should learn to cook. In 2018, she continued to speak out about this. She has said that for twenty years, children were not taught to cook in schools. Because of this, many young people now eat a lot of unhealthy fast food. Fiona is known as an expert in children's cooking.
How the School is Supported
The Kids' Cookery School is a registered charity. This means it relies on help from others to keep going. It gets money from different groups, like other charities, companies, individuals, and the government.
Awards and Recognition
Fiona Hamilton-Fairley and The Kids' Cookery School have received several awards for their great work:
- 2002 - The Guardian Charity Award
- 2015 - The Halifax Giving Extra Award
- 2019 - MBE "for services to Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities". This award recognized her help for children with special learning needs and disabilities.
Books for Young Chefs
Fiona Hamilton-Fairley has written several books to help kids learn to cook:
- I Can’t Cook (1993)
- I Can’t Cook: Entertaining (1995)
- The Kids' Cook Book (2005)
- Little Cooks: 30 Delicious Recipes to Make and Enjoy (2008)
