The next chapter in the Ministry of Food campaign has unfolded with the opening of the third food center in Leeds. The official opening date is the 25th of June and this week Jamie traveled up to Leeds to meet the staff. Jamie says “Teaching children and adults how to cook nutritious, easy, affordable and delicious meals for themselves and their families should be a high priority for every city council in Britain and it's great to see Leeds investing in its future”.

Kirkgate Market is the perfect location for Ministry of Food as it is a much-loved local landmark and stalls from within the market will supply much of the produce that is used in the centre. Featuring open shutters on glass panels, the design of the center will no doubt attract potential customers as the smell of freshly cooked meals wafts throughout the market. The idea behind the Ministry of Food campaign is to teach people the basic skills of cooking and there will be a variety of courses available at the center in Leeds – everything from basic knife skills to hygiene and even a lesson on how to make a cracking curry. The class costs £4 which is very reasonable considering that you get to eat what you have cooked at the end of the class.

There was a great deal of interest from the local press in Yorkshire as Jamie spent a considerable amount of time getting to know the staff of the center and also speaking to the council members who have worked hard to get the center up and running. Leeds is becoming somewhat of a favorite destination for Jamie as a new Jamie’s Italian restuarant opened recently in the city centre. The restaurant has seen record numbers of diners and it is great to see that the residents of Leeds have responded so positively to the new Jamie’s Italian.

The next stop for Jamie on his visit to the north was to Bradford to see how the Ministry of Food center was progressing there. It was a great day for Jamie for on arrival at Bradford he was told by the center manager Soraya Overend that the classes were completely booked up and there was a substantial waiting list. There is no doubt that the classes will be full in Leeds as well once the center opens. Add this to the success of the original center in Rotherham and the result is that the Ministry of Food is firmly established in this country proving that people do want to learn about how to prepare and cook good food.

About the author: Danny McCubbin is the website editor for JamieOliver.com

Learn more about the Ministry of Food