A Recipe for Success: Lower Years Pupils Publish Cookbook

A team of Lower Years pupils has been hard at work publishing a new cookbook, “Gourmand”, bringing together tried-and-tested recipes and a pupil-led approach to food writing.

The publication is distributed through the school library, with a digital edition also available via the library catalogue to help pupils access recipes without extra printing.

Editor Uriah G said the project began in December and has grown quickly. The cookery book was founded and written by Charles N and Seb G‑M, with Uriah joining the project soon after, and additional team members, Alfie E, Ben B and Charlie W, also contributing recipes and help with production.

The team said the first issue was a learning curve, and they have already refined the layout to make it neater and easier to use, including adding page numbers and streamlining the number of recipes per edition.

Recipes are drawn from family favourites as well as well-known chefs, with some adapted from Jamie Oliver. The group aims to include around 15–18 recipes per edition and votes as a team on which dishes make the final cut.

The latest limited-edition Easter issue features seasonal ideas such as spring salad, slow-cooked lamb and an Easter Simnel cake.

Copies are currently free, but the pupils are considering an honesty box suggesting a 50p donation to help cover printing costs, with a percentage also set aside for charity.

The Gourmand team are proactive with advertising and promotions, with plans in place to raise awareness of the book. They have already encouraged advertising by allowing teachers to promote their co-curricular clubs in the book. They are also planning an exciting “hidden ticket” initiative, where red and golden tickets will be hidden around the library and inside a book. The lucky person who finds the golden ticket will win the opportunity to contribute a recipe, while the finder of a red ticket will have their name mentioned in an upcoming issue.

To understand demand, the pupils are monitoring how many copies are taken each week so they can print the right amount. They also said offering an online version helps reduce waste, keeping paper and ink use to a minimum.

The team has big ambitions to expand beyond the school gates. They hope to sell copies to members of the public in Worcester city centre for £1 each and have already secured investment from a local business to increase printing and purchase equipment to support growth, including a card reader.

The group has even developed a series of advertising slogans for the project, including “it’s for the people, by the people,” “where food tastes right,” and “a quality cook book.”

Asked what makes the project special, the pupils pointed to the response from readers. Charles said it is “really nice hearing people say how much they love it”, while Seb said he “loves cooking and it reminds me of making a cake for my nan”. Uriah added: “I love using computers and cooking, and this combines both things.”

Well done to all the pupils on their talent, ambition and entrepreneurial spirit; we can’t wait to watch the book go from strength to strength.