Head chef of the award-winning Drunken Duck at Ambleside joined school caterers, local businesses and producers from across Cumbria in a bid to improve school lunches for the region's children.

More than 80 school caterers from Cumbria County Council's Premises Unit gathered together for a special school menu development training day', at The Auctioneer in Carlisle, marking the introduction of two new dishes for the school menu developed by Nick Foster.

The new dishes, Cumbrian Steak pie and Cumbrian Lamb and Mint Burgers made with Quality Standard Lakeland Beef and Lamb, will go on the lunch menu at more than 185 primary and secondary schools throughout the county.

The training day was held in conjunction with Pioneer Food- service meat supplier to many of Cumbria's schools, Cumbria County Council School Premises and the English Beef and Lamb Executive (EBLEX). Pioneer Foodservice is a member of EBLEX's Quality Standard scheme for beef and lamb, which provides reassurance that quality assured meat is being used in the dishes.

During the day, four school caterers joined Nick Foster to prepare, cook and serve up the new dishes to more than 80 of their peers for lunch.

Father-of-two Nick developed the dishes to be tasty and nutritious as well as easy for the school caterers to incorporate into the lunchtime menu.

He said: "It's great to be part of an initiative that will help to improve the diet and health of the children in our area, and one which also supports local producers.

"Knowing the origin of your food is incredibly important. I always try to source from quality local suppliers and make the most of the wealth of wonderful ingredients that Cumbria has to offer."

"Many kids nowadays overload on processed foods packed full of e' numbers and other ingredients that don't bear thinking about. So it was important to me to create some really simple, tasty dishes using wholesome ingredients that would really appeal to the children.

"Hopefully that's what we've achieved here, but I'll have to wait for the kids to get back to school before I know for sure!"

Nick concluded: "The ladies did fantastically well this morning, picking up the recipes really quickly and cooking a delicious lunch. I hope that my involvement in this event has helped to demonstrate just how easy it is to create delicious and nutritious meals from scratch in a morning in time for lunch and that you don't have to be a restaurant chef to be able to do it."

Cumbria County Councillor Philip Chappelhow, cabinet spokesman for Children's Services said: "We'd like to thank Nick for his involvement in the project. His help in developing these recipes and demonstrating just how easy they are to create today, has been invaluable.

"More than 90% of all foods used in Premises Department schools are supplied through Cumbrian companies such as Pioneer Foodservice, illustrating our commitment to sustainability in Cumbria and supporting the local economy."

Pioneer Foodservice has had official contracts to supply the county's schools with fresh meat for more than 14 years and has been supplying Lakeland Beef to schools for the last two years.