Pub chef steps in to cook Cornwall primary school's meals

A pub chef has stepped in to save the day after children in west Cornwall were left without a school cook.

St Just Primary School advertised its vacancy for a cook last month but has had no takers.

So Matthew Osborne, chef at The Commercial pub in St Just, has offered up his culinary skills until a full-time replacement can be found.

His meals have received rave reviews from pupils but Mr Osborne can only help until the summer season starts.

He said: "It came about because my wife was the kitchen supervisor down at the school.

"Unfortunately, with the times that we're in, she had to find another job, so that left just one other person in the kitchen down at the school, which happened to be my sister.

"I thought, well, they're going to need a hand."

He added: "It's all about the community, that's what we are like here in St Just."

Nicola Mackie, Mr Osborne's sister and now colleague, said his help was vital when they "simply can't" do meal preparation needed without assistance, and he only had to travel 250m (820ft) from his work to help make the midday lunches.

If no suitable applicants can be found for the position, also advertised on Facebook, the school might need to resort to "outside caterers", Mr Osborne said.

He added: "I was at the school and they have always had their own kitchen and cooked their own food, so it would be a big change."

School head teacher Andy Bowman said on one day alone, dubbed "chip Friday", there were about 160 out of 187 children in line for meals.

Pub landlady Michelle Burton said she was happy to free up Mr Osborne to help the school where she also attended.

She said: "We are known as a real community pub so it's no problem at all."

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