Phil's Cooking Academy has been designed to help cater for a gap in food preparation knowledge through 'fooducation', to get kids and young adults aged 7-14 excited about creating delicious meals from scratch.

The website can be viewed by logging onto www.philscookingacademy.co.uk

Launched in partnership with Children's Secretary, Ed Balls and premium discounter, Aldi, Phil is making cooking cool by encouraging young chefs to download his step-by-step recipe podcasts and learn how to prepare tasty recipes from scratch straight from their own classroom or home kitchen.

The website launched with a cooking lesson, led by Phil and Ed at The City of London Academy in Southwark.

PHIL CATERS FOR FOODUCATION REVOLUTION

According to research conducted by Future Laboratory, the current economic climate is driving a newfound love of cookery skills, as more and more people seek out cooking education as a way to help cut grocery costs.

Almost a third of UK consumers have begun to make more use of recipes and cookbooks, with a further third obtaining food information from television cookery shows and recipe books.

To help re-educate and cater for a gap in food preparation knowledge through 'fooducation', TV chef, Phil Vickery has launched a new interactive website, designed to get kids and young adults aged 7-14 excited about creating delicious meals.

The online academy, www.philscookingacademy.co.uk has launched into classrooms across the UK in partnership with premium discounter Aldi and supported by Children's Secretary, Ed Balls.

Phil is making cooking cool by encouraging young chefs to download his step-by-step recipe podcasts and learn how to prepare tasty recipes from scratch - straight from their own classroom or home kitchen.

Students are also being invited to get creative with their cookery skills and send their very own recipes to Phil by uploading them onto the website. Phil himself is set to make a personal appearance at the school of the student that creates the best dish.

Commenting on the launch of Phil's Cooking Academy, Phil said: "Through 'fooducation' I hope to communicate the importance of being able to prepare a simple meal, from start to finish. The website and specially created podcasts will enable children to cook along with me step by step; from tasty treats to delicious dinners "it's all covered."

Tony Baines, Managing Director for Buying at Aldi, commented: "We feel it's important, as a growing grocery retailer, to encourage children to understand and appreciate fresh, healthy foods by recognising quality products and knowing how to prepare them to make a nutritious meal. This will also help parents to satisfy children's appetites with appealing meals that are good for them and offer value for money."

"We decided that our close partnership with Phil Vickery could be further utilised to create an effective educational programme that children could respond to in an interactive way. It's fantastic to see Phil's Cooking Academy being rolled out in schools across the UK and being recognised as a valid contribution to the curriculum by the Government."

Phil Vickery, Ed Balls and Tony Baines marked the launch of Phil's Cooking Academy by hosting a cooking lesson for a class of school children at the City of London Academy in Southwark, London where they cooked simple spaghetti with mozzarella, peas and olive oil, one of the podcast recipes that features on the website.

Go To www.philscookingacademy.co.uk