The Leon chaps have decided the world would be a far superior residence if our youth would resist the clarion call of the microwave ping and learn to jolly well cook from scratch instead. So Henry Dimbleby and John Vincent have taken it upon themselves to launch the’Cook 5‘ campaign – designed to enable the nation’s children to learn to prepare just a handful of dishes to set them up for an altogether tastier adulthood.

Sad times, indeed, when stats have shown that over half of our young adults, those fledglings teetering precariously on the edge of the family nest, are unable to cook even five items.’Cook 5‘ aims for that magic number, with 15 cheap, achievable and healthy age-tailored recipes on the website. The campaign harnesses the collective youthful love affair with Instagram, encouraging participants to post photos of their results.

Sitting down with a plate of homemade grub should be enough reward in itself, but certificates and ‘Little Leon’ e-books will provide added incentive – as will the prospect of coining it in with a £5,000 jackpot and a trip to Leon‘s London HQ to build on those newly-established culinary foundations. Over the year, smaller cash bonuses of £100 for each month’s most popular dish will keep kids voluntarily chained to the stove.

For more information on the Cook 5 camaign and to get involved, visit www.cook5.co.uk. For more on Leon restaurants, visit www.leonrestaurants.co.uk