UPPER Wharfedale pupils were full of cheesy smiles when they enjoyed a tutorial from masterchef John Rudden at Grassington House.

A year ten group from the Threshfield secondary school visited the award-winning kitchen at Grassington’s boutique hotel for a private masterclass in making cheese sauce.

The visit formed part of an introduction to the Duke of Edinburgh Scheme which provides students with an opportunity to complete a personal programme of activities including volunteering, physical, skills and expedition.

Mr Rudden demonstrated how to make a classic cheese sauce using the traditional method and then made a second sauce using a high performance cooking ingredient, Ultra-Tex, which got the thumbs up from the 13 students on the taste test afterwards.

Made from starch derived from tapioca, it swells with cold water and doesn’t form lumps in the way that traditional starches can.

Rachael Hindle, food technology teacher at Upper Wharfedale School, said: “The students thought that it was very interesting. They enjoyed learning how to make a basic sauce and the science behind the new ingredients.”