Macclesfield: Local lad launches recipe box to teach children how to cook
Private chef 'Pete Cooks' is using his skills to teach little ones how to cook.
Pete Simmons and Amy Stubbs have founded JnrChef, a cookery lesson subscription service that comes with all the ingredients which are delivered to your door to encourage children to prepare a family meal.
The subscription service teaches kids to cook healthy meals and learn key skills to take them through life.
Pete guides little chefs via interactive videos that children can play and pause at their own pace.
The web app has elements similar to a video game, to keep the children engaged, where they can unlock digital rewards.
As well as Pete being a local lad, the software behind JnrChef was developed locally too, by Macclesfield's Matmi who have an office on Park Green.
JnrChef is currently in testing with an imminent soft launch in Cheshire, with ambitions to go national.
Pete is supported by Amy Stubbs in this new venture, as well as local investors and their videography team, graphic designer and app and web team.
"I was raised all over in Bollington, Tytherington and Macclesfield", said Pete.
"I went to Tytherington High School and when I was 18 I moved away to travel the world where I worked as a private chef.
"I now live in Bollington and after working on my private dining company Pete Cooks for the past four years it felt like the right time to set up JnrChef, an idea I had been sat on for a few years.
"I believe every child should be given the opportunity to cook. They don't really have that in school, and if they do it is very basic.
"We are teaching them life skills and once you learn more practical skills, you earn more rewards on the web app.
"In JnrChef you can unlock new characters and move up levels as you would in a restaurant, starting at JnrChef move through the ranks to become a Master Chef. By the time you have done 10-15 boxes and mastered a lot of recipes you are rewarded in-game for it."
The recipes tour the world and every two or four weeks your child can choose a meat/fish based or plant-based option.
Dishes include Mexican pulled chicken Tacos with guacamole and cheesy nachos, crispy tofu pad Thai with a watermelon and mint salad and homestyle chicken curry with basmati rice and minted yogurt.
There will be 48 recipes to choose from a year, you can either have it delivered every fortnight or every month.
They are currently using local ingredients for their soft launch in Cheshire.
"We want to show kids that cooking is really simple if you know what you are doing," added Pete.
"We don't think anyone has tried to do a recipe box for youngsters the way we are trying to do it anyway.
"Our target market is 8-13 year-olds.
"Our competitors are more focused on dry ingredients, but we give you everything you need and it is all fresh.
"We wanted to make something fun and interactive that children could follow along with easily.
"We've created something that if their friends are doing it, they can compare with their friends."
The food is stored in eco-friendly packaging, which keeps the food cool for up to 24 hours.
"We've had parents posting online about how proud they were, they couldn't believe their children had made such a high skill, nutritious meal.
"We've had parents posting online about how proud they were, they couldn't believe their kid had made such a high skill, nutritious meal", said Amy.
"One mum said it was amazing to get their child to eat something other than fish fingers and frozen foods."
"From our research we've found that most children might not want to eat a vegetable on a meal if their mum or dad has cooked it.
"But if they've cooked the whole thing, then they will be more than happy to eat it or at least give it a try.
"Another mum told us she had been trying to get her child to eat avocados for years, but they made guacamole to go with some Mexican food on JnrChef and they ate it and loved it.
"The main reason I've set this up is because of my personal issues of the education system not preparing you for real life.
"So this is my way of impacting the educational system, and switching it up a bit.
To help entice new customers, you can get 20% off your first order. Just click the link jnrchef.co.uk and sign up to the offer at the bottom.
Macclesfield: If you would like to sign up to JNR CHEF, please head to their website.
See Also: New bubble tea business opens in Macclesfield on Friday
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