EATINGOUTWEST
BOOKING THE
COOKS
To master the culinary tricks of the trade, you can’t beat meeting the experts face to face. Tony Benjamin gets his apron on
G
iven there’s barely a night without a TV chef programme and bookshop shelves groan with recipe collections, you’d think we’d have had quite enough guidance on our kitchen technique. But the growing number of cookery schools is evidence that more and more people are looking for hands-on experience in the presence of an expert. The latest local recruit is Michelinstarred Lucknam Park Hotel just outside Bath, where award-winning chefs Hywel Jones and Hrishikesh Desai are launching a choice of 26 one-day courses including Perfect Afternoon Tea and Indian Street Cooking. In her 11 years running the Vegetarian Cookery School in Bath, Rachel Demuth has seen the whole thing blossom. “When we started, I don’t think there was anyone else running cookery courses in Bath, then Bertinet came a bit later,” she says. “But now there are loads and it’s very competitive.” While many cookery schools offer some vegetarian courses, the Vegetarian Cookery School’s specialist focus remains a rarity, however, bringing people from all over the country and even further to learn. “We have people come from Australia and now the Japanese seem to have taken to vegetarianism. Of course the bonus for them is coming to Bath and visiting the spa at the same time.” There are plenty of local students, too, who can take advantage of evening sessions like the Chinese and South American courses as well
Rachel Demuth (second from left) and her team at the Vegetarian Cookery School in Bath
as ‘using your veg box’ specials run with Riverford Organics. The cookery courses boom is hitting Bristol as well, and after only two years at their Clifton base The Devilled Egg school recently upgraded to a bigger set-up to meet demand. Resident cookery guru Barbora Stiess is still finding her way around the new kitchen: “It’s fantastic,” she enthuses. “We had
really outgrown the old kitchen and the students appreciate the improvement.” The Devilled Egg primarily offers bespoke courses, arranged to meet the aspirations and interests of the customers. Barbora relishes the challenge that can present: “We get some really out-there requests; people want to cook something from a TV programme or a dish they once had in a restaurant. I have to do my
“We get some really out-there requests. I have to do my research but happily I’ve never yet been completely stumped. ‘Vegan French’ was a tricky one!” Barbora Stiess
research but happily I’ve never yet been completely stumped. ‘Vegan French’ was a tricky one!” As well as the one-off courses, the Devilled Egg has been developing video tutorials available to download through their website. Subscribers can use them to cook at home knowing that Barbora and her team are always available via e-mail if things get sticky. While we all might choose to learn a new cookery technique out of interest, some cookery schools have a more purposeful agenda. Kerry Evans’ Bath-based In The Pink cookery school aims to help people adjusting to special dietary needs such as gluten- or dairy-free to maintain an enjoyable range of eating despite the constraints. It’s a much valued service, as is Barny Haughton’s Square Food Foundation based in Knowle West, Bristol. As well as providing an eclectic range of courses for adults the Foundation is embarking on an ambitious long-term programme to help local children discover the pleasure of cooking and eating food from scratch. “We know that if children prepare it themselves they’re more likely to try the food,” Barny observes. “And, reluctantly sometimes, they might even think it’s nice!” Who knows? It might turn a fussy eater into a star chef in the making.
CONTACTS THE DEVILLED EGG KITCHEN ACADEMY THEDEVILLEDEGG.COM IN THE PINK INTHEPINKCOOKERY. CO.UK LUCKNAM PARK COOKERY SCHOOL LUCKNAMPARK.CO.UK THE SQUARE FOOD FOUNDATION SQUAREFOODFOUNDATION.CO.UK THE VEGETARIAN COOKERY SCHOOL VEGETARIANCOOKERYSCHOOL.COM
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