British Astronaut Asks Kids: Can You Make Me A Tasty Meal?
What’s the Latest Development?
Tim Peake, a British astronaut who’s scheduled to spend six months at the International Space Station next year, isn’t particularly fond of what passes for food up there. To remedy that situation, he and Jeremy Curtis of the UK Space Agency have launched a contest for which kids can submit meal ideas that are “tasty, nutritious, and have a British twist.” Entries will be organized into primary and secondary school categories, with one winner chosen from each. They will then work with popular chef Heston Blumenthal to create an eating experience that “is as close as possible to an enjoyable meal on Earth.”
What’s the Big Idea?
When it comes to dining in space, there’s quite a lot of science but — to hear Peake tell it — not as much art as there could be. “[Y]ou have artificial lights, an artificial atmosphere and so eating a meal is one of those moments where you want that special link back to Earth and make it a special occasion.” Also, Curtis hopes that the winning entries will help win the taste buds of Peake’s international crew mates. “[T]hey’ll say, ‘We’ve heard all about British food!’ But we want to come up with something so good that they’ll say: ‘We like British food. This is really good!'”
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