Jeanette Orrey's top tips for creating a Diamond Jubilee dish
27 January 2012 – To celebrate the Diamond Jubilee, British Food Fortnight is inviting all schools in the UK to create a special menu featuring recipes that celebrate the best of British to be served to The Queen and The Duchess of Cornwall at a reception at Buckingham Palace.
All you need to do is design a menu fit for The Queen that celebrates the food produced in your part of the country.
I know that as Food for Life Partnership schools you’ll be itching to get involved. So I thought I’d share a few tips that you might want to consider before you get started.
1. Speak to local food experts
Get in touch with your local farmer, butcher, baker and food businesses. Invite them to visit your school to talk about local produce that you could include in your recipe. Or better still, pay them a visit and find out about their business for yourselves.
2. Get your school cook involved
Don’t forget to speak to your school cook or catering team. They will be able to help with ideas and practical advice about cooking.
3. Think seasonal 
Think about which seasonal fruit and veg will be growing in the school garden in June. Try basing recipes around delicious fresh food straight from your veg plot. Find out more about eating local and seasonal food by downloading our information sheet.
4. Involve the community
Speak to parents and grandparents to find out about local delicacies – food from your region may have changed over the years. Contact people in your community who celebrated the The Queen’s Coronation in 1953. Find out about the food they ate and events they organised and compare them to your school’s plans. 
5. Test out your recipes at school
Try holding a competition at your school and cook the top three favourite recipes to see how good they taste. Remember your ideas will need to work well as canapés. If you send us photos of your dishes then we’ll feature them on the Food for Life Partnership website. fflp@foodforlife.org.uk
I hope you enjoy getting to know your region’s food and testing out new recipe ideas.
Good luck and have fun!
Jeanette Orrey
The competition is open to 10 - 15 year olds in all primary and secondary schools in the UK. Deadline: Monday 30 April. For more information and application details visit the British Food Fortnight website.