ATTENDEES at a food festival in Monmouthshire this month will get the chance to watch two celebrity judges test out an innovative dish designed by schoolchildren. 

Excitement is building as television presenter Kate Humble and MasterChef winner James Nathan prepare to chair and judge an innovative chickpea korma designed by four Monmouthshire schools at the Abergavenny Food Festival.

This event goes beyond the kitchen, it's a bold effort to safeguard our planet's tropical forests through the power of food.

With the help of Size of Wales, Monmouthshire County Council, The Co-op Foundation, and the ‘Cookalong Clwb’, pupils from four schools in Monmouthshire have taken matters into their own hands to redesign a popular school dinner that is healthy, tasty and no longer linked to the destruction of tropical forests.

Four sets of schoolchildren from Monmouthshire will get their food tasted by two celebrity judgesFour sets of schoolchildren from Monmouthshire will get their food tasted by two celebrity judges (Image: Abergavenny Food Festival) This year’s Abergavenny Food Festival attendees are in for a treat as they get to sample these korma creations.

But it’s more than just tasting, the students will pitch their ideas to ‘Give Chickpeas a Chance,’ showing how simple changes to our school meals can have a massive impact on our planet, one dish at a time.

It will take place at 2:30 pm, Sunday, September 22, on the Local and Vocal Stage, in the Castle Grounds in Abergavenny.

The pilot of a pioneering campaign by the charity Size of Wales, a unique charity that is making Wales part of the global solution to climate change, has been working with the local community to help Monmouth on its journey to becoming deforestation free.

Deforestation Free Champions is the first campaign of its type and aims to reduce the use of products that drive deforestation in places like the Amazon Rainforest, thanks to funding from the COOP Foundation.

Last year, an area of tropical forest equivalent to twice the size of Wales was lost to deforestation due to the products consumed here on a daily basis.

This is driving climate change and nature loss, and leading to widespread social impacts worldwide, including child labour and the abuse of Indigenous People’s rights.

At the festival, MasterChef winner James Nathan and wildlife broadcaster Kate Humble will taste and judge these deforestation free dishes, passing their judgment on whether we should give chickpeas a chance.

Masterchef winner James Nathan and wildlife broadcaster Kate Humble will be the judgesMasterchef winner James Nathan and wildlife broadcaster Kate Humble will be the judges (Image: Abergavenny Food Festival) Nichola James, Deforestation Free Communities Campaign Officer at Size of Wales, said: “Not only is the food delicious, but it packs a powerful message. These young pioneers are driving change in Monmouthshire to ensure a future with forests. It’s time to amplify this message across Cymru and beyond.”

Lucie Parkin, AFF Festival Director, added: "What an incredible initiative led by the young people of Monmouthshire. I'm proud and excited to have them take part in the Abergavenny Food Festival this September.

The importance of what we are eating and knowing where it comes from is one of the main tenets of the Abergavenny Food Festival. These young people are showing that change is possible.

"We wholeheartedly support the mission to make Monmouthshire the 1st Deforestation Free county in the world!"

Join the team at the Abergavenny Food Festival to witness this inspiring blend of culinary creativity and environmental activism — where every bite can help save tropical forests.

To find out more and buy tickets, visit the Abergavenny Food Festival website.