Basic To Brilliant Cooking Course

5.0
2 reviews
  • I attended the Basic To Brilliant Cooking Course at The Avenue London Cookery School. This family owned business with Richard and Diana as chefs and Sophie behind the desk, was one of the best courses i have been on. The atmosphere was delightful, light and easy, and yet the cooking we achieved throughout the day was an enormous amount. With the help of very knowledgeable chefs, any queries would be answered. I would highly recommend this Cookery School to anyone who wants hands on lessons and a chilled atmosphere.
    |
  • My 22 year-old son attended this course during his gap year. It really helped him to have a good start with cooking and now he is trying to further develop his interests. Two days ago he prepared an 8 course tasting menu for 14 people!
    |

Course

In Putney

£ 1,350 VAT inc.

Description

  • Type

    Workshop

  • Level

    Beginner

  • Location

    Putney

  • Class hours

    8h

  • Duration

    10 Days

2-week cookery class teaching foundations of food

If you have two weeks and are eager to learn how to cook, this Basic To Brilliant Cooking Course will reveal the confident chef you have inside! Start from scratch with the Avenue London Cookery School.

During the first week you will learn the basics of cooking and go over the most basic techniques as many times as you need. You will also be taught how to properly use a knife, how to manage your fridge stock and many other useful tips. The second week’s planning is much more flexible. Depending on the skills acquired during the first week, students will be given the chance to either learn new recipes or fill in gaps.

Every morning there is a different Duty Team, which is responsible for preparing breakfast: a cake, bread and lemonade! Once the students have restored their energy, they go back to cooking in pairs.

They also offer accommodation for those who need it! So do not hesitate to contact the centre and ask for more information.

Facilities

Location

Start date

Putney (London)
See map
Mission Hall, Walkers Place, SW15 1PP

Start date

On request

About this course

We teach the foundations of cookery in the first week, as we put together basic home food, like cottage pie, cakes and a roast dinner.

In the second week, we take this base level of knowledge and build upon it, so by the end you are confident making the most complex of dishes!

Prospective chalet hosts on their gap year. University students wanting to learn independent cooking away from home. Anyone wanting to learn to cook is welcome!

Enthusiasm is out only requirement - we welcome all ages and abilities!

Our family-run cookery school puts its emphasis on creating relaxed and fun classes! Our aim is to teach people to understand food, to move away from the recipe-book, so they can whip-up delicious meals from whatever they find in the fridge!

Yes of course! The course is open for all abilities. Our experienced chefs will help and mentor you, and the course is designed to teach you cookery step by step, and in the end you'll be a master of culinary excellence!

We do offer the second week only as an Advanced course, but we always recommend that everyone come along to the first and second week, as the first week sets you up perfectly to cook the more advanced dishes in the second.

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Reviews

5.0
  • I attended the Basic To Brilliant Cooking Course at The Avenue London Cookery School. This family owned business with Richard and Diana as chefs and Sophie behind the desk, was one of the best courses i have been on. The atmosphere was delightful, light and easy, and yet the cooking we achieved throughout the day was an enormous amount. With the help of very knowledgeable chefs, any queries would be answered. I would highly recommend this Cookery School to anyone who wants hands on lessons and a chilled atmosphere.
    |
  • My 22 year-old son attended this course during his gap year. It really helped him to have a good start with cooking and now he is trying to further develop his interests. Two days ago he prepared an 8 course tasting menu for 14 people!
    |
100%
4.8
excellent

Course rating

Recommended

Centre rating

Yani Bridge

5.0
12/04/2017
What I would highlight: I attended the Basic To Brilliant Cooking Course at The Avenue London Cookery School. This family owned business with Richard and Diana as chefs and Sophie behind the desk, was one of the best courses i have been on. The atmosphere was delightful, light and easy, and yet the cooking we achieved throughout the day was an enormous amount. With the help of very knowledgeable chefs, any queries would be answered. I would highly recommend this Cookery School to anyone who wants hands on lessons and a chilled atmosphere.
What could be improved: Nothing.
Would you recommend this course?: Yes

Phillipa Rooney

5.0
23/02/2016
What I would highlight: My 22 year-old son attended this course during his gap year. It really helped him to have a good start with cooking and now he is trying to further develop his interests. Two days ago he prepared an 8 course tasting menu for 14 people!
What could be improved: Nothing...
Would you recommend this course?: Yes
*All reviews collected by Emagister & iAgora have been verified

This centre's achievements

2017

All courses are up to date

The average rating is higher than 3.7

More than 50 reviews in the last 12 months

This centre has featured on Emagister for 14 years

Subjects

  • Basic cooking
  • Basic cooking techniques
  • Menu planning
  • Student recipes
  • Cooking with leftovers
  • Kitchen Confidence
  • Knife Skills
  • Food Hygiene
  • Fridge Management
  • Food Presentation
  • Food Management
  • The Avenue Cookbook
  • Pastry making
  • Cake Making
  • Boning Meat
  • Asian Food
  • Three Course Menu
  • Homemade Soft Drinks

Teachers and trainers (2)

Diana  Horsford

Diana Horsford

Owner & Teacher

Diana is a dynamic and innovative teacher who brings an imaginative spark to the art of cookery. Starting off as a chalet chef, Diana climbed the rungs to founding her own specialist food ventures. She infamously taught at The Grange Cookery School for seven years before The Avenue. As the absolute driving force of the kitchen, this Mother Duck engages and educates her students with undying character and warmth. With a knack for trailblazing twists on classical dishes, Diana simply loves food and is identified for her delectable culinary creations that will amuse and delight your palette

Richard Horsford

Richard Horsford

Owner & Teacher

Richard is Diana’s son, making The Avenue very much a family affair. His previous experience has included Chalet Hosting, prestigious Corporate Events and working as a chef in the South of France. Richard is a self-confessed Foodie, with an interest in modern cooking techniques. His flair for experimental cookery will certainly broaden your culinary horizons. Working extremely hard to share his enthusiasm with the students and push out the traditional boundaries, he is the youth and energy in the Kitchen.

Course programme

Product Description

In week one of this course we assume that all the students have done little if no cooking and so the most basic techniques are carefully worked through and, when necessary, covered several times. As well as explaining basic recipes the students are also taught knife skills, food management, kitchen hygiene and menu planning. By the end of the first week a wide range of useful recipes will have been cooked and each student will have been given every opportunity to grow in kitchen confidence, knowing that they can tackle each and every dish that has been covered.

Each morning bread, a cake and lemonade are made by ‘The Duty Team’ so that by 11 o’clock there is always something to restore the energy levels! A demonstration and explanation of the recipes for the day is followed by a break when you will eat the morning delights of The Duty Team. After the break the students start cooking in pairs and begin to work from The Avenue Cookbook. The book is easy to follow and is an invaluable reference source long after the course has finished. Saying this we teach our students to gain an understanding of food and therefore the ability to work without a cookbook but to use books for inspiration.

During the second week, whether you have acquired skills from the first week of this course, our Really Useful and Chalet Course or elsewhere, the basic skills of cookery will have been learnt. The teaching is very flexible so if there are any gaps in knowledge they can easily be filled. No student is ever made to feel inadequate and those who want to brush up on forgotten techniques need to just ask.

The flexibility of the teaching provides an excellent opportunity for students to cook food that they are particularly interested in as well as following popular structure of ideas and recipes.

The Basic to Brilliant Course is perfect for those who are enthusiastic cooks and want to be introduced to an interesting selection of recipes and dinner party ideas.

What We Offer

  • Excellent teaching
  • Professional advice
  • Very busy cooking programme
  • An opportunity to boost your kitchen confidence
  • The Avenue cooking certificate
  • The Avenue apron
  • The Avenue Cookbook
  • Those joining our October 31st course will get to join our amazing Easy Christmas Class during the 2nd week of the course

Skills Acquired

  • Knife skills
  • Variations of bread making including Diana’s bread, focaccia, plaited white loaf and soda bread
  • Elaborate cake making
  • Making your own soft drinks
  • Three course menu cooked each day
  • Food presentation
  • Boning meat and handling fish
  • Preparing and cooking a wider variety of vegetables
  • Learning to cook Asian foods and different techniques
  • How to make canapés

Sample Menu

Homemade French Baguette
Roasted Tomato Soup with Homemade Pesto and Crispy Bacon
Seared Spiced Duck Breast with a Noodle, Bok Choy and Shiitake Stir Fry
Raspberry Parfait in a White Chocolate Cup with Raspberry Coulis and Homemade Honeycomb

Additional information

2

Basic To Brilliant Cooking Course

£ 1,350 VAT inc.