A vegetable ribbon is cuts by Jamie Oliver to open the new school

The kitchen, at High Laver Hall near Harlow in Essex, is the brainchild of school meals advisor Jeanette Orrey, together with an organic food company.

It will offer two-day courses for school catering staff.

"In 10 years' time we should be a shining beacon across Europe," Mr Oliver said.

The course follows Mr Oliver's campaign to improve the standard of school meals in the country.

Speaking at the training centre he said: "It will take hundreds of millions of pounds to get where we want to be.

It's going to be very hard to fix 20 years in which dinner ladies have been demotivated and deskilled Jamie Oliver

"Some people are shocked when you talk about that kind of figure, but when you break that down by each pupil, it only equates to a couple of pence per day."

Mr Oliver said he hopes to hold further discussions with Education Secretary Ruth Kelly next year when the School Dinners Trust has completed work to assess the real costs of improving school nutrition.

"It's going to be very hard to fix 20 years in which dinner ladies have been demotivated and deskilled, but that's what we have to achieve," he added.

The course, developed by Ms Orrey, Michelin Star chef Simon Owen and a team at the organic food company, Ashlyns Organics, will include hands-on cooking and practical skills.

Gary Stokes, director of Ashlyns Training Kitchen Ltd, said: "The kitchen uses the same style of equipment common in many school kitchens.

"Catering staff will receive information and practical training so that they can confidently produce school dinners for children, using good quality, fresh ingredients."