Falcons Academy Get Cooking
As the Falcons prepare for the 2015/16 season, a group of Senior Academy players last week took some time to brush up on their off-field skills with a session in the kitchen.
The cooking skills session, delivered by chef Anthony Brown was held at the Beacon in Newcastle as part of the Rugby Players’ Association’s Player Development Programme.
Nine players took part in the session, which aimed to improve their kitchen skills and took them through a range of cooking techniques while also helping them to develop a number of different recipes.
The day rounded off with a cooking competition, pitting all of the players against one another to produce a dish with the best taste and presentation.
Speaking of the afternoon Academy Manager Mark Laycock said: “The lads enjoyed a fantastic afternoon. The opportunity to learn from a professional chef is very unique and we’re extremely grateful to Anthony for giving up his time to work with us.
“As young athletes, many of whom are living away from home for the first time, learning vital life skills like cooking is essential. The players really bought into it and produced a very tasty dinner.”
Brown, the Director of Ant Brown Ltd, learned his craft in some of the UK’s top Michelin starred restaurants, said he enjoyed the opportunity to help educate Falcons Academy players.
“We were tasked with creating a bespoke session for a group of young athletes who, on limited time and budget, need to ensure they are fully fuelled up and healthy every day, ready to face the challenges of life as professional sportsmen.
“Alongside a few essential kitchen skills I hope we’ve given them all a little more confidence around food, as well as an insight into its possibilities. I must say, some of those guys can really cook!”
One of the Academy players in attendance was Joe Craggs, who said: “It was a really enjoyable day. We learned about basic cooking skills and about how to maintain a strong and consistent diet.
“As a young player cooking is often looked at as a chore, and something not many guys find too interesting. But today has completely changed that assumption.
“I’ve personally taken a huge amount out of the session; not only have we learned some fantastic new recipes and skills, we’ve also been guided by a top chef in Anthony Brown.”
