The Mistley Kitchen

If you want to improve your culinary prowess or just have an enjoyable day of creating and feasting upon excellent food and drink with like minded fellows, then the Mistley Kitchen is for you.

Set in the centre of Mistley Village, the Mistley Kitchen was set up by Sherri Singleton an experienced chef and restaurateur who also owns the neighbouring Mistley Thorn and Lucca restaurant in Manningtree.

The cookery workshops take place in a large, light kitchen, well equipped with modern appliances and with enough space for everyone to comfortably work hands on.

The 5 and a half hour workshops cover subjects from Fish Basics to creating a Fabulous French Dinner. All skill levels are accommodated, from the complete novice, through to the accomplished cook; there is no air of competition - you just do what you can and learn a little of what you cannot.

The workshops usually start at 10am, where the group of up to 15 people meet and sit around the large wooden dining table, introducing each other over coffee, tea and biscuits. The atmosphere is informal and friendly. You each receive a print out of the recipes you will prepare and after an introduction to the fresh, seasonal ingredients, it is all hands on deck with Sherri.

I went along to the Spanish Tapas day, where we learnt how to create a number of fabulous tapas dishes, from the simple yet deliciously tasty Spanish potato frittata, to the most luxurious seafood paella I have ever encountered; the ingredients of which included fresh Lobster, Monkfish, Squid, Chorizo and mussels. None of the dishes were overly complex and we all managed to prepare them without any real mishaps – which was a relief. I have happily recreated a number of them for family and friends.

Throughout the day we sampled some of the smaller tapas as we cooked them, and the wine flowed. By the end of the day, we all sat down for our banquet and glowed with pride (and more wine) at what we had jointly created with the helpful and skilful guidance of Sherri. Feasting upon our bounty, chatting, laughing and drinking was a perfect way to end a very enjoyable and pleasurable day.

Our Summary
The Mistley Kitchen cookery workshops provide a practical and enjoyable way to improve your culinary skills within a friendly environment. There are various workshops to choose from; each designed to suit all skill levels. Superb, locally sourced fresh ingredients are used to create mouth watering dishes. The finale of your day will be to share the feast you have jointly created and enjoy it with wine and plenty of friendly camaraderie. Highly recommended.