Cultural flavours and international taste sensations were on everyone’s lips at the launch of a gourmet cookbook.

Great Chesterford Academy has drawn on its rich mixture of ­nationalities to create The Global Gourmet.

The book was put together using the children’s experience and ­knowledge of different cultural dishes, and was devised and managed by the Friends of Great Chesterford Academy, with the aim of raising money to improve school facilities.

A launch party at The Plough, in Great Chesterford, on Thursday last week proved a success.

The pub was full, with people enjoying tasty bites such as Tandoori chicken, Greek split pea and mint croquettes, Vietnamese kohlrabi salad, Spanish orange and almond cake, and feta bruschetta. About 120 books were sold on the night.

One of the organisers, Lisa Jeremy, was delighted with the “amazing response”.

She said: “After a great deal of work pulling the recipe book together, the launch went without a hitch ... even the sun came out for us!

“The book sales exceeded our hopes as we all enjoyed tasting the nibbles cooked up from the recipe book itself.

“It really was an occasion to remember and we sincerely thank everyone involved and who came along to support us.

“Sponsors of the book, THP and Cardinal Group, turned out in force to support the launch while another of our sponsors, The Plough, rose to the occasion and pulled pints galore to wash down the nibbles.”

Kerinda Ibbotson, group sales and marketing director of the Cardinal Group, was pleased to have been involved in the project, adding: “It is a great initiative, with the money going towards a wonderful cause – we look forward to seeing the school project completed.”

The idea behind the book was collaboration between the academy and a number of European schools. It has seen children swap recipes, work with each other over Skype, and visit schools across the continent to learn more about different customs and cuisine.

It has been a community effort which saw the front cover designed by renowned Littlebury artist Lizzie Sanders, who created a globe ­featuring food linked to different areas of the world.

Money raised will be used to provide the school with extra resources, including a sports field shelter.

Copies of the The Global Gourmet are available by emailing mike_lisa@btinternet.com at £5 a copy.