THE GINGER & LIME FOOD EXPERIENCE FOOD MADE WITH LOVE, FEEDS NOT ONLY THE BODY, BUT ALSO THE SOUL – Denise Levy, Founder of Ginger and Lime Food Studio “Time flies when you are having fun!”, so they say, and in the case of Ginger and Lime Food Studio they certainly agree. It is now nearly 3 years since this interactive cooking school opened its doors, with Denise kicking it off with an interactive Masterchef-style party for her own birthday with her closest family and friends. “It is only when you look back that you can see how far you have come!” says Denise, former international model, photo-production company owner and now Ginger & Lime team leader says. She adds: “Ginger & Lime seems to have a life and a soul of its own, and it is flying way beyond anyone’s expectations, including my own. As we always say, we feel we are holding on to a rocket that is shooting high up in the sky and we are clinging on for dear life! There are many new and exciting things lined up, and we continually grow and evolve as we go along, remaining open to all the possibilities that are presenting themselves. ” For each private event or weekly interactive course, after hours of preparation, the team takes much pride and joy stepping into their roles, as if onto a stage. The spotlight is on them, the show begins, guests feel this and become transformed by this culinary whirlwind of energy, aromas and taste sensations. A touch of the theatrical and a bit of drama is always thrown into the mix! The guests get to experience “behind the scenes” in the food prep, where the magic really happens. This is what sets them apart from any other “cooking school” or in fact restaurant, for that matter. Denise says “My kitchen has always been the heart of the home, a place where friends and family gather and bond over the preparation and the eating of, fabulous food.” So she asked herself how to combine a passion for cooking and make into a business venture? This is essentially what the concept of Ginger & Lime is, to open her kitchen to others who are also passionate about food and the ability it has to connect, soothe and provide an escape. While here, you forget your problems for just a short while, and become very focused and present. It is hard not to when you have a sharp knife in your hand, or when you are tasting a sauce to see exactly what it needs to make it perfect.
HOW DID THIS ALL START? Feeling that she was ready for a career change, and taking the fact that food and cooking are her absolute passions, it seemed natural that she would turn to something in this field. She decided to explore how to turn this from a hobby into a business. She attended a number of local cooking classes, to research what was on offer. She combined this with loads of hands-on experience at various restaurants around the world, as well as catering for private events. While attending a series of after hours cooking classes with Liam Tomlin (Chef’s Warehouse) she quickly noticed this became the best part of her week.