Leeds City College

We were proud to host the first ever Candlelighters Ready Steady Cook competition recently, in the training kitchens at our Printworks campus.

This event raised £6,150 for Candlelighters, a Leeds-based charity which supports families affected by childhood cancer. Candlelighters provides emotional, practical and financial support for families as well as investing in vital research to improve the outcomes and lives of children with cancer.

The competition was hosted by celebrity chef and presenter Briony May Williams and saw 12 teams of two put their culinary skills to the test.

Our Principal, Bill Jones, partnered with Leeds Sixth Form College Principal Phil Mark on one of the teams, while Gemma Simmons-Blench and Natalie Wilson, both senior leaders with our parent organisation, Luminate Education Group, were in another.

From left to right: Gemma Simmons-Blench, Bill Jones, Briony May Williams, Natalie Wilson, Philip Mark

Each team was challenged with cooking a main course and a pudding using ingredients provided by Company Shop Group, the UK’s largest redistributor of surplus food.

Natalie Wilson, Group Vice Principal – Curriculum & Skills, said: “It really was an amazing opportunity to be offered to support Candlelighters and highlight sustainability. All of us used the same surplus food products to create a variety of meal options, which was special to see.

“It really was a day to remember, flexing chef skills I never knew existed with the support of my wonderful colleagues and the college’s excellent food and drink students.”

Gemma Simmons-Blench, Deputy CEO – Curriculum and Quality, agreed. She said: “This fantastic event demonstrated the range of dishes that can be produced from surplus food, while raising money and awareness for a marvellous charity.

“The work the Candlelighters team do to support families in extraordinary circumstances is truly remarkable. It was wonderful to be part of such a worthwhile event and it was great fun!”

The teams each had 30 minutes to discuss their plans and choose their ingredients from the pantry before beginning to cook.

With only two hours to produce their two courses, the contestants were thrilled to have some of our Level 2 or Level 3 Culinary Skills students assisting them. The students were forbidden from actively doing any of the cooking, but were able to offer advice and technique tips.

Reflecting on a successful event, Candlelighters Trustee Sue Patterson said: “This was the first Candlelighters Ready Steady Cook Challenge, and all the contestants rose to the occasion and produced two delicious plates of food.

“The energy in the kitchen was awesome and the support from Leeds City College was amazing. A fantastic amount of money was raised, and we hope to build on this for the 2025 Ready Steady Cook event.”

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