Walnut Grove Cookery Course

Gourmet Cuisine and Cooking Classes in the Loire Valley

Enjoying cooking is all about confidence, being relaxed and understanding your ingredients. Skilfully combining flavours, textures and presentation is within all of us. Our aim at the Walnut Grove is to bring these qualities out, so that you have the ability to follow your own flair and imagination.

 

Each day, you'll experiment with new flavours and new techniques using the freshest ingredients with expert guidance. Our courses are run with a professional yet relaxed holiday atmosphere, we believe that this is the ideal way of combining a holiday with culinary development.

You'll arrive on Saturday, mid afternoon. After some time settling in to your room, the course begins with an introductory talk to discuss the structure and goals of the program.

Later in the evening, after complimentary champagne, you'll enjoy a 6-course gourmet dinner that illustrates the cooking style you'll be studying during your cookery course, with explanations by your chef hosts. It's also a wonderful opportunity to relax and get to know your fellow guests.

Each day after breakfast, there will be both demonstrations and hands-on classes, ranging from basic knife skills to homemade Italian bread's and even caramelised sugar baskets.

This is followed by preparation of the evening meal, with gourmet dishes such as apple & goat cheese croustade with a roquette & walnut salad or Collops of monkfish glazed with a herb, mustard & brioche crust, served with saffron tagliatelli and a white wine, mussel and dill sauce.

On Monday after a light lunch, you'll get to enjoy some of the local culture on a customized excursion. For example: visit to a 19th century windmill producing buckwheat flour in the traditional method. On Tuesday afternoon we will have specialized training from a local expert. One example is master French pâtissier, Anthony Vancilli who will come to the Walnut Grove and teach you the secrets of making tradtitional all butter croissants and a French favorite - macaroons! 

Early evenings are all about more hands-on fun in the kitchen, as you put the finishing touches on dinner, learning last minute cooking techniques and high quality restaurant presentation skills. It's then time to sit down and revel in the stunning food you've learned to prepare.

On the last day, you'll be challenged to use all the skills and knowledge acquired during the week as you work in teams to prepare and present the last meal with only a little guidance from the chef. To relieve the pressure, a gourmet barbecue is served in the afternoon, followed by a game of croquet or boules in the garden (weather permitting). Then it's back to the kitchen for final preparations before sitting down to your own created gastronomic feast.

For full details of our 5-day cookery course please click here

These cookery courses can be individually tailored for groups of up to 6 guests. We also offer customized cooking classes for corporate businesses; for example, "Team Building in the Kitchen".