Catch of the Day: Fish Heroes

Tasty shellfish dishes were on the menu at our school when we received a delivery of mussels so catering students had the chance to work with food fresh from the sea.

We are involved with the Fish Heroes scheme, which aims to give every secondary student the chance to prepare, cook and eat fish as statistics show the majority of pupils eat it less than once a week.

We were delighted to be successful in a bid for supplies, and we received a delivery of 10kg of fresh mussels from the Offshore Shellfish Company, Lyme Bay, in South Devon.  They were handed to our hospitality and catering students to work with, an opportunity they may not have had previously.

“I was excited to be involved because it’s a unique opportunity for students to work with fresh, high-quality produce like mussels, which they don’t often encounter. It’s a chance to inspire them to think differently about food and develop essential skills,” said Head of Design Technology Lamprini Adam.

“Sustainability is a major focus. I aim to teach students where their food comes from, why it’s important to use local and sustainable ingredients, and how seafood like mussels can be an eco-friendly protein choice.”

Sourcing fresh fish can also be an issue, as supermarkets close their fish counters and local fishmongers are few and far between.

“Many students think of fish as just ‘fish and chips’ so the lesson is about broadening their horizons, encouraging them to try new flavours and showing them the versatility of seafood,” added Mrs Adam.

We encourage students to broaden their horizons when it comes to food while also ensuring they can plan a meal within a budget.

It also meant students could hone their skills on presentation, sauce-making and working with knives to clean and prepare the mussels.