05/03/2007

It seems Jamie Oliver and his fellow TV chefs have inspired a whole new generation of cooks.

More boys are taking up cookery classes than ever before, according to new figures from the Scottish Qualifications Authority.

The study shows a rise of almost 60 per cent in three years in the number of boys taking courses for budding chefs, including Hospitality: Practical Cookery – the vocational course designed for aspiring chefs.

The number of boys signing up to the SQA’s Home Economics: Health and Food Technology, which is designed for youngsters who want to know how to cook for leisure, has jumped by almost 30 per cent since 2003.