One ingredient. Once a week. Created by BBC’s Great British Menu champion and school chef Amber Francis.

Amber Francis is an award-winning chef on a mission to make children curious and excited about food. Amber splits her time between school kitchens and fine dining. She competed on and won the BBC’s Great British Menu in 2025. Now, in collaboration with our charity, Amber is calling on all schools to Try Something New.

What started in Amber’s own school kitchen – a simple tray of new ingredients for pupils to taste, smell and discuss – has grown into a movement. Now available as a free resource pack for any school to adopt. Amber says, “I started Try Something New Day in my school as a simple way to help pupils explore new foods. Each week during break time, I put out one new ingredient for pupils and staff to smell, taste and talk about. We chatted about everything: seasonality, where food comes from, who grows it and how it’s different from what they already know.”

The idea is simple: One new ingredient each week. No worksheets, no pressure, just curiosity and conversation.

Download the full resource pack below: Everything you need from templates, activity ideas, tips from our chef trainers to guidance on making it work for your school.

BBC Great British Menu photo courtesy of Optomen Productions.