Pupils at Forest Gate Community School have vowed to turn their backs on ‘fatty’ fast foods after being inspired by TV chef Jamie Oliver’s record breaking healthy-eating cooking lesson.

Newham Recorder: Forest Gate Community School students take part in a world wide cooking event by joining a live cooking stream with celebrity chef Jamie Oliver on Food Revolution Day.Forest Gate Community School students take part in a world wide cooking event by joining a live cooking stream with celebrity chef Jamie Oliver on Food Revolution Day. (Image: Archant)

Year 7 students joined youngsters around the globe to help the crusading cook smash the world record for the greatest number of people to take part in a cookery class on Friday.

After watching a live stream cooking demonstration by Jamie in the school’s main hall, the 63 pupils worked in groups to prepare a rainbow salad wrap.

Pupil Yousuf Howlader, 11, said: “We used beetroots, carrots, cabbage and other vegetables and I think it’s better than eating fast food. It’s made me want to eat more healthily.”

Pupil Laura Irmane, 11, said: “The cooking was really fun. Jamie makes it exciting to do. Everyone enjoyed it.

“The stuff we made is much healthier than the fast food places we have in Forest Gate, and it tastes nice as well.

“From now on I’m not going to eat all that fatty stuff. When you can eat nice food like we had today, you don’t need all that stuff that is bad for you.

She added: “I’m going to cook the recipe for my parents.”

The school also tweeted live updates as part of Food Revolution Day 2014.

Head teacher, Simon Elliot, explained the school teaches the importance of eating healthily but having a celebrity endorse it “really helps change a child’s mind-set”.

He added: “Seeing so many schools involved in the lesson really fired the children up. They’ve learnt how important real food is and one boy even said he’s going to drink less fizzy pop now and make his own juices instead.”

Oliver aims to reduce childhood obesity in the UK by at least 5% in the next five years.

He said: “I know to some of you I’m like a broken record. You’ve heard me talking about food and its impact on the health of our nation for many years.

“But you’ve got to hand it to me, at least I’m consistent - I won’t ever stop demanding positive change that gives the next generation a brighter future.”