Business Class...

I was invited to judge a Hartlepool schools competition which involved Expochef and six finalist teams. The kids had to research and then market a new food product. The offering ranged from fruity smoothies, fishcakes to stir-fries and healthy yoghurts.

The enthusiasm shown by the schoolchildren was infectious. All had meticulously researched the ingredients, the packaging and various forms of marketing.

I was one of a few chosen "dragons" whose arduous task was to choose the winning team after the presentation and a thorough "grilling".

The initiative was well supported by the town's Mayor, Stuart Drummond.