CELEBRITY chef Jamie Oliver, who once dismissed school dinners as "reconstituted rubbish", has put his reputation on the line to cook up a storm in the classroom.

The chef has spent several months working secretly at a North-East primary school.

He even took a mobile kitchen with him so he could demonstrate his culinary skills to children at Eden Community Primary and Juniors, in Peterlee, County Durham.

Teachers say pupils have been wowed by his decision to create a menu based on simple, wholesome food.

Jamie signed on at the school as part of a documentary he is making for Channel Four, which is due to be shown early next year.

The results of his work with youngsters at the Peterlee school and pupils at a London comprehensive will be shown in the documentary about school meals.

The star has been outspoken in his criticism of the quality of school catering.

Earlier this month, he called on the Government to increase spending on school food, saying that in his view most children were served with a diet of "reconstituted rubbish" which gave them no chance for their taste buds to develop.

The children from Peterlee were certainly not shy in telling him what they liked and didn't like.

"The children were quite outspoken and keen to give their opinions, said headteacher Yvonne Ryle.

A spokesman for the star confirmed he had been working with County Durham pupils as part of a documentary.

"It is one of those things we didn't want to advertise but I wouldn't deny it. I'm just delighted the kids seem to like him," the spokesman said.