Budding young chefs from local schools are learning their craft at luxury New Forest hotel Lime Wood. 

The kitchens of top restaurant Hartnett Holder & Co. has hosted pupils from Abbotswood Junior School in Totton for cost of living cookery classes in conjunction with Lidl. 

The classes, which have had a huge impact on students, will be extended to Year 9 pupils at Hounsdown School in the new year. 

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As their home economics teacher Alison Smith looks on, Abbotswood pupils are encouraged to cook simple dishes like a gnocchi in tomato sauce, followed by a straight-forward raspberry or chocolate orange cheesecake or other dessert. 

Once all the preparation and cooking is done, they then come up to the kitchen table where they are served what they have cooked by the Lime Wood chefs while they watch and feel what it is like to work in the kitchen.

(Image: Lime Wood Group) Chef director Luke Holder told the Daily Echo: "We have had positive feed back and have, I believe, made a small impact on these young kids, some with challenging circumstances.

"One moment really stood out for me when a young fostered child, who apparently hadn't smiled in years, cooked so well the whole kitchen nominated him the chef of the day and gave him a warm round of applause, he then smiled which brought the teachers to tears!

"When they leave, they are all presented with the recipes in a little bag, which is full of all the items to complete the dishes free from Lidl. We wanted to use Lidl as we didn't want it to be unachievable or elitist. It needs to be items they too can access, it's not all about a healthy message, it is about the message of being willing to cook at home and feed a family of four two courses for £5. That £5 mark has moved a touch recently, but that is the general idea."

(Image: Lime Wood Group) Hartnett Holder & Co is a relaxed high end restaurant at Lime Wood, near Lyndhurst. Top chefs Angela Hartnett and Luke Holder and their team create locally sourced Italian dishes with a nod to the seasons. 

(Image: Lime Wood Group)