Jenny Paxman

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT JENNY PAXMAN

I am driven by a clear and urgent mission: to transform food education in the UK into a powerful force for personal, public, and planetary wellbeing.As CEO of the School of Artisan Food, home of Best Food Forward, I advocate for curriculum-embedded, skills- and knowledge-based food education that empowers young people to understand and navigate our complex modern food environment. Food education is not a niche subject: it is scientific, social, economic, cultural, political, and practical. It teaches vital life skills, builds critical understanding, and connects us to the systems that sustain us.I believe that real food (delicious, nutritious, and where possible, locally grown and seasonal) should be at the heart of learning. When students are immersed in food education that is hands-on, meaningful, and relevant, they don’t just learn, they are equipped to lead change.I champion for school food environments that extend learning beyond the classroom. From the dining hall to the garden, young people should encounter food experiences that reinforce and elevate what they learn in lessons, shaping habits, choices, and aspirations.By building an education system that values real food and teaches the skills to grow, cook, share, and understand it, we can reshape our food culture from the ground up.