Frome College pupils make beans on toast ‘fine dining’ dishes

Lockdown pupils at a school in Somerset have been competing to make the best fine-dining plate out of baked beans.

Frome College challenged students to plate up baked beans and toast in an “exciting and imaginative way”.

The idea came from design technology teacher Emily McMunn who also offered to donate the winner’s height in tins of beans to the Frome Food bank.

The secondary school said the response had been “fantastic” and the standards had been “extremely high”.

The students in years nine and ten, were given the challenge “as a bit of fun” last term.

First place was awarded to year nine student Gil Privett, who fashioned “beautifully-plated swans” out of pieces of toast and placed them on a plate-sized pool of beans.

Year nine pupil Ashleigh Gahagan came second in the competition for his swirling butterfly beans on toast, garnished with basil and “jus de haricot”.

Third place was given to fellow year nine student Cameron Vince for his “professional and well-thought-out presentation”.

Ms McMunn, said she set the competition to keep students motivated and to let them “practise plating up in a professional way”.

“I said to the students that I would donate the winner’s height in tins of beans and he is 5ft 2in (approx 160cm) tall so that equates to around 15 tins,” she said.

A spokesperson for the school said: “We are delighted with the effort and enthusiasm shown by them all.”