To celebrate the Diamond Jubilee British Food Fortnight is inviting all schools in the UK to create a special menu featuring recipes that showcase the best of British to be served to The Queen and The Duchess of Cornwall at a reception at Buckingham Palace in June.

This is your chance to get behind the campaign by supporting your local school, teaching them about our fantastic Cornish produce and encouraging them to showcase the very best Cornish ingredients within their competition entries. Find your local school here.

The top four winning schools will be invited to Buckingham Palace in June to see their menus prepared by the famous Royal Chef. The students will then help serve their winning dishes at a special Diamond Jubilee reception attended by The Queen and The Duchess of Cornwall.

Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall launched the competition on 25th January at Nova Hreod secondary school in Swindon. ‘Cook for the Queen’ is open to 10 – 15 year olds in all primary and secondary schools in the UK. Entries close Monday 30th April and the winners will be announced Mid-May.

Taking part is easy. All schools have to do is design a menu fit for Her Majesty The Queen that celebrates the food produced in their part of the country. Schools are asked to include both savoury and sweet ideas and dishes that use ingredients that strongly represent their region.

All the dishes need to be easily produced in the form of canapés that will be served at the reception. For example, mini Toad in the Holes, little Cornish pasties, Smoked Haddock fishcakes, Bubble & Squeak, Pan Haggerty, Cromer Crab salad, Caerphilly tart, seasonal vegetable soup espresso or apple dumplings. Remember that many traditional recipes celebrate our Royal family: Duke of Cambridge Tart, Coronation Chicken and, of course, Queen of Puddings!

HOW SCHOOLS CAN ENTER: Go to the special ‘Cook for The Queen’ section on www.lovebritishfood.co.uk and complete the online entry form.

Photographs copyright of Simon May at Maymedia.