TOP chef Raymond Blanc dished out cooking tips to youngsters in Charlton when he opened their new kitchen.

The world-renowned cook visited the teaching kitchen at Charlton Manor primary school where he was grilled by pupils for their radio station before demonstrating some of his techniques.

Children at the school are already experts on food, with their own garden growing fruit and vegetables, along with keeping chickens and bees.

Headteacher Tim Baker said: "The new kitchen was a result of the pupils’ enthusiasm for growing vegetables in the school garden and learning about where food comes from.

"Cooking, healthy eating and making healthy choices are all part of the curriculum, but the children only had one cooker they could use, and that was in the staff room.

"They said they wanted a bigger kitchen, and we converted one of the existing rooms so it now has five stoves."