News: Ministry of Food to close in Rotherham

The Ministry of Food in Rotherham town centre is to close later this month, the charity operating the healthy eating initiative has confirmed.

Rising premises costs, a withdrawal of funding from Rotherham Council for services and a reluctance of charities to replace the funding, means cooking courses will come to an end at the All Saints Square premises.

The Rotherham centre was the first in the country when it opened in 2008 as part of Jamie Oliver's TV series and remained open with the help of £130,000 a year from Rotherham Council. It became a social enterprise in 2010, enabling it to achieve financial stability and to bid for funding.

The premises closed temporarily in 2013 amid health and safety concerns but it underwent a refresh in 2014 after being taken over by Leeds-based charity, Zest - Health for Life.

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Now the charity has issued a statement confirming the closure. It read: "With great sadness the Ministry of Food Rotherham will be closing its doors for good at the end of August 2017.

"Jamie's Ministry of Food can reflect on a fantastic legacy having made a genuine and positive contribution to improve adults health and wellbeing in Rotherham.

"Sadly our three year contract with RMBC to deliver Ministry of Food cooking courses ends in August 2017 and the Council have decided not to refund cooking skills services in the town in the current economic climate.

"With the reluctance of charitable trusts to replace statuary funding, and increasing premises costs, Zest has been unable to attract the significant amount of other funding required to secure a sustainable future for the project. It is therefore with great regret that we will shortly be closing the Ministry of Food Rotherham with the loss of four jobs and a great loss of provision to the people of Rotherham."

When setting its budgets for 2017/18, Rotherham Council, which estimated a £42m financial gap over the next two years, reported that an agreement was in place for a planned reduction of revenue funding support for Ministry of Food from the end of September 2017. £40,000 in savings was budgeted for 2017/18 and 2018/19 from the Assistant Chief Executive's budget with £32,500 in savings budgeted for 2017/18 and 2018/19 from the Public Health budget.

An event to mark the success of the project in recent years is being held on August 17.

Jamie's Ministry of Food website

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News: Rotherham hosts first food and drink show

Rotherham town centre has added a new event to its menu - a food and drink show to suit a wide variety of tastes.

The very first Rotherham Food and Drink Show will be taking place in the very heart of the town this weekend. Fabulous guest chefs will be in the town centre to prepare an array of dishes in the CookeryTheatre, along with vendors and stallholders to provide delicious street food, produce and drinks.

The two-day show offers free entry to the public who will be treated to live cookery demonstrations, artisans and specialists, drink and cocktail bars, street food and an assortment of restaurants will be cooking dishes based on recipes from around the world.

The show will run from 10am to 6pm on the Saturday, and 10am to 4pm on the Sunday.

A recognised figure on the Yorkshire food scene, chef Stephanie Moon will host demonstrations in All Saints' Square from fellow chef, Matthew Benson-Smith of The Chef's Academy and representatives of the Ministry of Food. Steph has worked for world famous chef Anton Mosimann and is currently Chef Consultant at Rudding Park.

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Stallholders range from Mexican street food to artisan brownies. Local enterprise, Pastures Moo, will also be taking a stall, selling various flavours of its handmade dairy ice cream.

Representatives from Rotherham College will be there on both days to promote the catering and hospitality provision of courses and apprenticeships, as well as answering any general questions and providing advice and guidance.

Catering students from The Wharncliffe will be selling plenty of ambrosial homemade delights for the occasion to spoil the customers for choice and on the Sunday, two of the Level 3 students, Ian Riley and Aaron Myers are set to run a 45 minute demonstration on the main stage from 3pm, preparing an Italian themed menu before the audience.

Last month, Rotherham town centre hosted the Garden Lovers Fayre and June sees the return of the popular Vintage Hop.

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News: Jamie's mentor to reopen Rotherham Ministry of Food

Gennaro Contaldo, respected chef and the man Jamie Oliver describes as his "Italian father", will be in town next week to reopen Jamie's Ministry of Food.

The All Saints Square premises in Rotherham town centre have undergone a refresh after being taken over by Leeds-based charity, Zest - Health for Life.

New centre staff are in place with manager Dawn Rowley and cookery trainers, Melvin Jarman and Carolyn Nicholls, set to run cookery courses and training activities. The centre will officially reopen on September 26.

As a young Essex chef, Jamie Oliver met the eccentric Italian, Gennaro Contaldo (pictured together), in the kitchen of London's Neal Street restaurant back in the early 90's. The pair bonded while cooking the beautiful Italian food that had inspired them both since childhood, and the seed of an idea was planted. Years later Oliver opened his first branch of Jamie's Italian with the help of his friend and mentor.

As well as writing cookbooks and appearances on TV with shows such as Two Greedy Italians, Gennaro is also in charge of creating the menu and training new chefs at Jamie's Italian.

The Rotherham centre was the first in the country and opened in 2008 as part of Jamie Oliver's TV series and remained open with the help of £130,000 a year from Rotherham Council. It became a social enterprise in 2010, enabling it to achieve financial stability and to bid for funding.

It was closed "temporarily" last summer amid health and safety concerns but is ready to reopen, again adding something different to Rotherham's town centre offer.

Jamie's Ministry of Food website
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News: Rotherham Ministry of Food reopening with Zest

Building work is taking place at Rotherham's Ministry of Food in preparation for its reopening in the autumn.

The All Saints Square premises are currently undergoing a "refresh" that includes redecoration, new appliances donated by Samsung UK and a new shop frontage in time for September.

The centre opened in 2008 as part of Jamie Oliver's TV series and remained open with the help of £130,000 a year from Rotherham Council. It became a social enterprise in 2010, enabling it to achieve financial stability and to bid for funding.

It was closed "temporarily" last summer amid health and safety concerns but is yet to reopen.

Now Leeds-based charity, Zest - Health for Life has secured the contract to run cookery courses and training activities from the Rotherham town centre base. It is not yet clear if the centre will offer food for sale as the previous operation also included a café.

Susie Brown, chief executive officer of Zest, said: "We are really looking forward to introducing the new team to the public of Rotherham and getting as many people as possible involved in the next exciting phase of the Ministry of Food concept in the town.

"We are taking the project back to the basics of teaching cookery skills, budgeting and healthy eating, and believe everyone can learn something from one of our fun and friendly courses."

Joanna Saunders, head of health improvement at Rotherham Council, added: "We know rising obesity is a problem across the country, including here in Rotherham.

"But we are committed to working with the Jamie Oliver Foundation and Zest to tackle this by encouraging local people to cook and eat healthy food and by providing training activities in local communities.

"The building is now fit-for-purpose and the new partnership will allow the authority to move on to an exciting new chapter of healthy cooking and eating across the Borough."

Zest website

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News: Ministry of Food Rotherham closed temporarily

The Ministry of Food in Rotherham town centre, which provides healthy cooking courses, was closed this week to allow for a review of the All Saints' Square premises.

The centre opened in 2008 as part of Jamie Oliver's TV series and remained open with the help of £130,000 a year from Rotherham Council. Since then it has shown more than 10,000 people how to cook.

It became a social enterprise in 2010, enabling it to achieve financial stability and to bid for funding. It is still supported by the chef and his team as well as Rotherham Council, the NHS and Rotherham College of Arts and Technology. In 2012 it secured £80,000 from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust (CRT) to help people to increase their cooking skills.

The shutters came down on Wednesday due to what the union, GMB described as "health and safety fears relating to the condition of the premises."

A council spokesperson said: "As the welfare of the staff and the public is our main priority, the shop has been closed to enable a full survey of the premises to be carried out. This is to ensure that the building continues to be suitable to run the Jamie's Ministry of Food cooking programme.

"The seven staff and the trade unions have obviously been consulted."

Rotherham Borough Council are working with the Jamie Oliver Foundation so that the centre can reopen at the earliest opportunity.

In a statement, the GMB added: "The GMB have become aware that Health and Safety issues have been brought to the attention of RMBC (who employs the staff) on previous occasions and have only taken action since one of the members of staff had an accident on the premises. The GMB firmly believes that the course of action that has been taken is reactive rather than the sensible proactive approach RMBC usually takes with issues of Health and Safety.

"The GMB is also aware that the future of the Ministry of Food project is uncertain for financial reasons and we would hope that these Health and Safety issues are not used as an excuse to remove support for the very successful project."

Ministry of Food Rotherham website

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News: Rotherham's Ministry of Food secures cash for cookery lessons

Rotherham's Ministry of Food has received £80,000 from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust (CRT) to help people to increase their cooking skills.

The funding will provide cooking courses in the community and at the town centre shop, by working closely with local groups to access people who need some support.

The funding will also support the Ministry of Food to provide a further 30 volunteering opportunities, giving Rotherham people the chance to explore if a job in catering is of interest to them.

Lisa Taylor, manager at the Ministry of Food, said: "We are really please to have gained funding from CRT, this funding allows us to help more families and groups to cook from fresh foods.

"We see people grow from being people who find cooking scary and difficult at the beginning to those who enjoy cooking and are proud of what they have achieved at the end of the ten week course.

"The additional funding will also allow us to safeguard jobs, and develop volunteering opportunities for people who are interested in catering and teaching jobs."

The centre, in All Saints' Square, opened in 2008 as part of Jamie Oliver's TV series and remained open with the help of £130,000 a year from Rotherham Council.

They became a social enterprise in 2010, enabling them to achieve financial stability and to bid for funding.

It is still supported by the chef and his team as well as Rotherham Council, the NHS and Voluntary Action Rotherham.

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News: Jamie Oliver’s Ministry of Food is cooking up a storm at a Rotherham extra care scheme

Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food, the Rotherham social enterprise that promotes healthy food on a budget, has set up a base at Oak Trees extra care scheme.

The project is still going strong with premises in Rotherham town centre. It is still supported by the chef and his team as well as Rotherham Council, the NHS and Voluntary Action Rotherham.

Dedicated cooks and volunteers from the Ministry, including some residents, now prepare meals at the Oak Trees cafe at Stag using fresh ingredients at a low price.

Michelle Jones, supported housing officer at Chevin Housing Association, said: "The Ministry use our facilities to cook healthy food through a contract with the local council, we used to get a handful of people into the cafe, now it's full everyday.

"Residents get involved with preparing meals and they're having an influence on the menu but most of all they are loving the food. Good food at a low cost and good company – you can't ask for more than that."

Dean Pry, a cook at the Ministry of Food, added: "The Ministry of Food is a social enterprise aimed at promoting healthy eating and cooking. Volunteers come in and learn a skill that can hopefully turn into a career but we're also able to prepare healthy meals at a low cost and it's been really successful."

Ministry of Food website

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News: Rotherham Ministry of Food has the recipe for success

The Ministry of Food in Rotherham town centre is going strong three years after being established by celebrity chef and healthy food campaigner Jamie Oliver.

The project is now a social enterprise, a not-for-profit organisation, that is still supported by the chef and his team as well as Rotherham Borough Council, the NHS and Voluntary Action Rotherham.

The centre in All Saints' Square has launched a number of income-generating projects including children's birthday parties and Summer Cook Clubs.

A recent event saw the team put on a comprehensive programme of cookery at the new Curry's Megastore's state-of-the-art kitchen at Parkgate.

In collaboration with Rotherham College's catering department, local chefs and suppliers, the Ministry of Food held cookery sessions, demonstrations, tastings as well as master classes.

"We are always looking at ways to expand our business," said Jan Davies, manager of the Ministry of Food. "So it was wonderful when we were approached by Curry's to organise events in their new amazing kitchen. They have also kindly donated electrical equipment to be used as prizes for our third birthday party next month."

On Wednesday, August 17, the project will be holding a fun day in Rotherham's All Saints Square with cooking demonstrations and activities for children.

Jan added: "The MoF is thriving - a real recipe for success. Financially we are independent and all our income comes from the fees we charge, income we earn through food sales and any funding grants we attract.

"However, our vision continues to try and make Rotherham and South Yorkshire a healthier place to live. We can do this by showing children and adults how to cook healthy, tasty meals, quickly, simply and economically, using fresh, seasonal ingredients from local suppliers.

"We work closely with the NHS promoting the benefits of healthy eating, working particularly with people who live in some of the poorest areas in the country. We can help to transform peoples' lives because eating more healthily really does improves health and wellbeing.

"We also work closely with schools, children's' centres, community groups and businesses in Rotherham and throughout the county providing fun cooking sessions in easy, bite-size chunks."

The scheme also offers volunteering opportunities and work experience placements for secondary school students and people wanting to enhance their CV and improve their employability.

Ministry of Food website

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News: Ministry of Food Rotherham set to become a social enterprise

The Ministry of Food in Rotherham town centre is set to relaunch as a social enterprise.

Celebrity chef and healthy-eating campaigner, Jamie Oliver expressed fears last month that the Ministry of Food could be a victim of funding cuts.

The centre, in All Saints' Square, opened in 2008 as part of Oliver's TV series and remained open with the help of £130,000 a year from Rotherham Council.

In a report to the meeting of deputy leader of Rotherham Council, Matt Gladstone, the council's assistant chief executive, detailed how efforts are underway to sustain the project beyond the current financial year due to its high profile, success and the ongoing demand for its services.

Last year, the centre taught 6,500 people how to cook using fresh ingredients. These included everyone from firemen to teachers, care-home workers to school kids - when the centre put up a poster in the window advertising summer holiday classes for kids, the places were filled within 24 hours. Classes are consistently booked out for months in advance.

With the support of a Social Enterprise Advisor based at Voluntary Action Rotherham, a draft business plan has been developed.

The plan includes a new café concept, which will see the centre offering a cookery demonstration each week-day lunch time and selling take-away portions of the meal of the day along with a recipe card.

Income would come from lessons, outreach work and café sales, and a range of other potential income streams are currently being investigated. These include a concept being developed to sell sponsorship packages to local businesses, which include tailored cookery courses for the businesses workforce.

Steps are now being taken to establish the Ministry of Food as a social enterprise in the form of a company limited by guarantee. This will involve establishing a board of directors, including membership from Rotherham Council, NHS Rotherham and Rotherham College of Arts and Technology. Social enterprise status will also open up opportunities to bid for grant funding not available to the project in its current guise.



The unit has already undergone a transformation with a new shop front, signage and seating area. From Monday October 18, the Ministry will be selling take-away coffee, tea and healthy home-made muffins as well as home-made soups and freshly baked bread rolls.

At lunchtimes, the Ministry will offer a set menu which, for the opening week, features chilli and rice, Moroccan lamb and cous cous, pasta, curry and fajitas.

Produce used in the Ministry of Food's Meal of the Day will be sourced from around the local area with food from places such as Andrews Butchers, Pickles Farm, Eastwood Fisheries and KD Davis Fruit and veg. All these places are within walking distance of the Ministry of Food's premises.

Lisa Taylor, who manages the Ministry of Food centre in Rotherham, said the centre does not view itself as in competition with other town centre businesses.

"Our priorities continue to be helping Rotherham people to improve their eating habits, and to learn more about cooking healthy food.

"The work of the centre is already bringing a huge range of other economic benefits - not least to the local suppliers from whom we source our vegetables, fish, meat and dairy products.

"Securing accreditation as a social enterprise will reflect the hard work of the Ministry team here in Rotherham in enabling the centre to stand on its own two feet. It will also enable us to access new funding streams so that we can continue to achieve our main purpose, which is creating a passion for cooking healthy food here in Rotherham."

Rotherham Ministry of Food website

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News: Ministry of Food in Rotherham could be a victim of funding cuts

Celebrity chef and healthy-eating campaigner, Jamie Oliver fears that the Ministry of Food in Rotherham town centre could be a victim of funding cuts.

The centre, in All Saints' Square , opened in 2008 as part of Oliver's TV series and remained open with the help of £130,000 a year from Rotherham Council.

Last year, the centre taught 6,500 people how to cook using fresh ingredients. These included everyone from firemen to teachers, care-home workers to school kids - when the centre put up a poster in the window advertising summer holiday classes for kids, the places were filled within 24 hours. Classes are consistently booked out for months in advance.

In a bid to help with cashflow, plans have been submitted to enable the unit to operate as a cafe at lunch time and a cookery school in the mornings and afternoons. New signage and a seating area is also proposed.

Similar centres have been replicated in Bradford and Leeds and Oliver is now urging on businesses to get involved and support the local centres as public sector funding dries up.

He said: "I've heard that the Ministry in Rotherham could be a victim of funding cuts. The local council there is doing everything it can to keep the Ministry open and I hope it will succeed but I can't understand why keeping it open should even be in doubt at all.

"Each Ministry of Food Centre is booked up at least three months in advance so the demand is there. It's abundantly clear that this is one of the few strategies that is actually working that helps people overcome their problems with food.

"I understand that cuts need to be made. I understand that these are difficult times. But I can't understand why something that can save billions of pounds in the long term can be at risk because of a few million quid. In my opinion, cutting the funding for local projects which directly empower and transform thousands of lives is both foolhardy and a false economy, particularly in a country which is spending billions on obesity-related diseases.

"So here's the plea. If the local councils can't afford to set up and keep running these inspiring, revolutionary, socially vital places, then it's up to local businesses to get involved.

"I'm talking to businessmen and women up and down the country - some of them in charge of huge multi-national companies, some of them running smaller but successful local firms. All of them appreciate the need to do something about our obesity problem and all of them also understand that being involved with a community project like a Ministry of Food centre, is good for business."

Jamie Oliver website

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News: Jamie's Ministry of Food Rotherham leads to top job for catering student

Big Hospitality reports that a catering student at a Rotherham college has been given a job at Jamie Oliver's restaurant, Fifteen, in London. Michael Poulton and fellow hospitality and catering students at Rotherham College of Arts and Technology assisted Oliver’s food team during the filming of Jamie's Ministry of Food over the summer. Securing himself a trial with head chef at the London restaurant, Andrew Parkinson, Poulton impressed so much he was hired as the kitchen’s new Commis Chef, and began work after completing his final qualification. Nick Crofts-Smith, Head of Catering and Hospitality at RCAT, told Big Hospitality: "Jamie was instrumental in getting him a job. I think he’d have done well but in our industry doors open by people that you meet. It was really about saying to Jamie, ‘are there any jobs?’ "Michael was a great student, he always wanted to go and further his skills and look into other areas. He researched a lot, was very committed and had good craft skills, but needed that break to see it. He wanted to get a good job and he worked hard and he put the effort in with Jamie."

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News: Rotherham firm creates eco-kitchen for TV chef Jamie

Jamie Oliver's latest project in Rotherham has officially launched in the town centre. The chef cut the ribbon at his Ministry of Food in All Saints' Square yesterday. Rotherham firm, Atrium Designs Ltd, were asked to create the eco-friendly kitchen for the shop as they have previously designed, manufactured, fitted and supplied a range of bespoke kitchens, individually designed using the latest computer software and manufactured to the highest standards. The TV chef will adopt techniques used by the Ministry of Food in wartime Britain to advise people on how to feed their families. He will be filmed in the kitchen alongside a team of local volunteers.

The Star article

Atrium Design website

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News: Jamie's Ministry of Food

TV Chef, Jamie Oliver is looking to recruit a food centre manager at the Ministry of Food Rotherham. Part-time staff, and volunteers are also needed to run his food centre in All Saints' Square. The first of its kind, the Ministry of Food aims to be used to offer recipes and cooking advice and to host food-related events. Jamie told The Star: "I want a solid cook, not a chef, who is enthusiastic and good with people to become the centre's full-time manager. "Filming Ministry of Food will hopefully start something in Rotherham that will continue long after we've gone." For further details contact mofmanager@jamieoliver.com The latest edition of the Rotherham town centre update includes a feature on Jamie Oliver along with information on Renaissance projects, town centre events, public art and safety schemes.
The Star article
Rotherham town centre update
Rotherham town talk website
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