STUDENTS from Rednock School were treated to a visit from top celebrity chef Gino D'Acampo - who described the day as "an amazing experience."

Gino spent the afternoon in Rednock School on Friday, November 21, offering advice on cooking authentic Italian food.

Innovate Service, the school’s catering operator, have Gino enlisted as their exclusive chef partner, and use many of his recipes in schools across the country.

Gino spent time with Year 10 and 11 Food Technology, provide advice on developing Italian dishes - as well as sampling some of the food they created.

He said: "Visiting Rednock has been an amazing experience. There's a load of enthusiasm from the guys here.

"It's a very well organised school, and the headmaster is a very handsome man with lots of great ideas.

It's a very cool set up.

"The cafeteria is wonderful. I could smell food as soon as I came into the school and if I can smell food it makes a happy Gino.

"Seeing the children excited and happy about food is the reason I got involved with Innovate."

Headteacher David Alexander thought Gino's visit was a fantastic opportunity for the school.

He said: “All the students and staff really enjoyed having Gino D’Acampo visit our school today. He spent a great deal of time talking to as many students as possible and provided some inspirational talks to our food technology students and media studies group.

"It was really interesting to hear his personal experiences on becoming a chef and the students certainly enjoyed asking him questions about his work. We would like to extend our thanks to our catering partner, Innovate, for organising Gino’s visit.”

While at the school Gino also provided a talk to sixth form students, met with students during the lunchtime break, and participated in a book signing in the school library.

Student Nicky Whittaker, 12, said: "It was really good getting the chance of meeting somebody like Gino because you don't see a celebrity chef every day.

"I was in a group that got to meet him as he first came in and we got a selfie with him so we were happy.

"We also asked him a few questions and he was funny and really listened to our stories."

Based in West Byfleet, Surrey, Innovate Services is the catering partner for secondary schools and colleges across the UK, and delivers a fresh and modernised approach to school meals provision.

For more information on Rednock School, visit rednockschool.org.uk.