About Us

The Create & Cook Competition is run by Min Raisman from fit2cook food education. Previously Min was an award winning producer on BBC Radio Four's Food Programme and helped run the prestigious BBC Food and Farming Awards.

Min set up the Create & Cook Competition in Hampshire in 2009 with top local chef Andy Mackenzie and home economist Davina Tibbetts. Their aim was to encourage young cooks to discover their local food and to develop the next generation's cooking skills. Over the years the competition has attracted many like-minded sponsors and supporters, all keen to promote local food and nurture young talent. With their help, the competition has grown from strength to strength and is now open to schools in Shropshire, Gloucestershire,Oxfordshire, as well as schools in Hampshire, Sussex and the Isle of Wight.

For 2021 we are sponsored in Shropshire, Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire by Best of our Counties from the Coop Midcounties and supported by Gloucester College, Fresh & Local farmers markets, Shrewsbury College, Cons cafe, Thames Valley Farmers Markets and Good Food Oxford.

Along the South Coast in Hampshire, Sussex and the Isle of Wight for 2021 we are sponsored by Natures Way Foods and are supported by Hampshire Farmers Markets, Hampshire Fare, Exclusive Chefs Academy and Newlyns Cookery School.

"Every year we discover new talented young cooks who introduce us to their local ingredients. During 2020, as we have all learnt to appreciate our local shops, producers and farmers even more, it's been great to see young cooks taking real pride in their local suppliers and where they live. They tell us they care about climate change and want to reduce food miles and carbon emissions. This is great news for the future of the local food economy and the fight against climate change. It's why I believe we must educate and nurture the younger generation of cooks if we want a better world for us all." Min Raisman, organiser of the Create & Cook Competition and Director of fit2cook food education

fit2cook food education now concentrates on running the Create & Cook Competition. We won a Business in the Community award for our work developing Create & Cook in 2014 with the Co-operative. We also run cooking workshops for our local primary schools around Winchester.

In the past fit2cook has run innovative food education projects with the Watercress Company, Alreslford Salads, Hampshire Country Learning, Winchester Mill run by the National Trust, the Alresford and Romsey Shows.