"I wanted to write and say how much I enjoyed the advanced course. For someone like me who cooks all day long in my job, it was great to work with two such knowlegable and creative people who were so good at teaching us skills and passing on information. I really wanted a 'hands-on' course, rather than one that was mostly demonstration and this course was definitely that. I learnt many new things that I will be using back at work - my guests are going to be so impressed! All in all, I found the course to be very useful and would highly recommend it.

Kate Purdy,
Sep 06

5-Day Advanced
Cookery Course Itinerary

Gourmet Cuisine and Cooking Classes in the Loire Valley

Arrive:
Saturday: Day 1

17.00

Introductory talk - Discussing aims and course structure followed by complimentary champagne

18.15

Dinner, 6-course gourmet dinner

Menu

Goats cheese Panacotta with apple & walnuts
~
Crispy salmon with an oriental sauce
~
Passion fruit sorbet
~
Tornado of beef fillet with a smoked bacon & thyme rosti
with a spinach & parsley puree and a perigourdine sauce
~
Fromage frais, Greek yogurt & honeycomb mousse
with a fresh raspberry coulis
~
Selection of cheese and biscuits
~
Coffee and truffles

---o0o---

Sunday: Day 2

9.15 to 9.45	Breakfast (to include fresh croissants, breads and preserves, cereals, orange juice, yogurts, tea and coffee.)
10.00	Hands-on: Knife skill refresher
	Demonstration: Confit of duck
	Demonstration: White onion & thyme soup (with a goats cheese croute)
	Demonstration: Preparing shell-fish: lobster, langoustine, scallops, oysters & lobster stock
	Hands-on: Seasoning techniques
	Menu discussion, timing & distributing jobs Hands-on: Split into groups Group 1 - Making bread, stocks & sauces, menu prep Group 2 - Preparing starter, iced parfait & menu prep
13.15	Lunch: - White onion & thyme soup with a goats cheese croute, salad, olives, pickles & cheese
14.15	Demonstration: Chicken, tomato & bacon consommé
14.25	Hands-on: Menu preparation
17.00	Finish
17.45	Hands-on: Final finishing touches for dinner, followed by aperitifs and dinner

Menu Roulade of salmon & prawn served with avocado ~ Oriental duck spring rolls with a sweet chilli relish ~ Goats cheese sorbet ~ Panaché of fish with a Vermouth sauce ~ White chocolate cheesecake with a pink grapefruit iced parfait ~ Cheese and biscuits ~ Coffee and truffles ---o0o---

Monday: Day 3

9.15 to 9.45	Breakfast
10.00	Demonstration: Chicken, tomato & smoked bacon consommé
10.20	Hands-on: Chicken butchery
10.50	Menu discussion, timing, distributing jobs Hands-on: Split into groups Group 1 - Bread, stocks & sauces & menu prep Group 2 - Niçoise salad, pudding & menu prep
Menu Tomato, chicken & smoked bacon consommé with a pesto ravioli ~ Tuna Niçoise ~ Passion fruit sorbet ~ Breast of chicken stuffed with foie gras mousse served with mashed potatoes, spinach and a wild mushroom sauce ~ Treacle tart with crème fraîche ice cream ~ Selection of cheese and biscuits ~ Coffee and truffles ---o0o---
13.15	Lunch: Poached salmon with hot & sour cucumber & lemon mayonnaise, salads & new potatoes, followed by cheese
14.30	Tutorial: Pairing wine with food, taught by a professional sommelier
17.00	Finish
17.45	Hands-on: Final finishing touches for dinner, followed by aperitifs & dinner

Tuesday: Day 4

9.15 to 9.45	Breakfast
10.00	Demonstration and Hands-on: Sugar work, praline tuiles, brandy snap, marbling & piping chocolate, tuile work
11.15	Menu discussion, timing, distributing jobs Hands-on: Split into groups Group 1 - Mussel broth, sorbet & soufflé Group 2 - Bread, terrine of duck, sea bass dish
Menu Mussel & saffron broth ~ Confit duck terrine with a spiced fig chutney ~ Calvados sorbet ~ Pan-fried fillet of sea bass filled with a home-smoked lobster sauce ~ Hot bitter chocolate soufflé with ginger ice cream ~ Cheese and biscuits ~ Coffee and petit fours ---o0o---
11.45	Hands-on: Menu prep
13.30	Lunch: Selection of charcuterie & pâtés, salad, pickles & cheese
14.30	Menu planning: To include writing menus, pre-preparation, combining flavours, presentation skills, creating new dishes.
17.45	Hands-on: Final finishing touches for dinner, followed by aperitifs & dinner

Wednesday: Day 5

9.00 to 9.45	Breakfast
10.00	Tutorial: Menu planning for dinner parties
10.40	Hands-on: Napkin folding and table presentation
	. The Walnut Grove Cookery Challenge!!!
13.30	Lunch: Gourmet BBQ
14.30	Hands-on: Continue the Walnut Grove Cookery Challenge; croquet & boules in the garden, time permitting
17.00	Finish
18.00	Hands-on: Final finishing touches for dinner, followed by aperitifs and dinner

Click on images

Questions? Email us now

Thursday: Day 6

9.00

Breakfast

Departure before midday

Itinerary is correct as printed but subject to change.
The school reserves the right to alter its programs.

5-Day Advanced Cookery Course Itinerary

Gourmet Cuisine and Cooking Classes in the Loire Valley

5-Day Advanced
Cookery Course Itinerary