Dishing up new skills at the Ministry of Food

WINTER warmers will be on the menu when classes start next week at the new Jamie Oliver Centre in Bradford city centre.

More than 90 people have signed up to do healthy eating courses at the nation’s second Jamie Oliver Ministry of Food Centre in John Street, Bradford, and people can now ring to book a place starting in March.

Participants will complete a 10-week course to learn how to cook a range of healthy recipes and will also be taught about nutrition, hygiene and shopping on a budget.

The centre opened last month and Jamie Oliver hopes to visit both Bradford and Rotherham Ministry of Food centres this year.

This week it was revealed that a third Ministry of Food project is set to open in Kirkgate Market, Leeds, with organisers hoping the project will be launched in the city in the summer.

Bradford Council and Local Government Yorkshire and Humber have funded the project and local businesses have also lent their support to it.

Bradford Council leader, Coun Kris Hopkins, said: “I'm delighted that residents across Bradford district have been literally queueing to sign up for courses at the centre.

“A lot of people have been working very hard for many months to turn the dream of a Bradford Ministry of Food into reality. It is great credit to them that this moment is now with us as the classes get under way.”

The centre is open Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 4.30pm unless staff and volunteers are out cooking in the community. There is also an evening class on a Tuesday from 5.30pm to 6.30pm.

The Bradford branch of the Jamie Oliver Ministry of Food is the result of collaboration between Bradford Council and the campaigning chef.

Council leader, Coun Hopkins, earlier said that the project will help improve skills, aspiration and enterprise through links with catering courses.

Anyone interested in doing a course or sessions for team building should contact centre manager Soraya Overend on 01274 435279.