The Smart School of Cookery

The Smart School of Cookery is an intimate dining and learning experience, where you can gain insider tips and tricks of the trade from specialist celebrated chefs, in an informal and relaxed atmosphere.

The day I visited, chef Franck Pontais was at the helm, captivating us with his skills and prowess in the kitchen, as well as divulging stories of his experiences in an inimitably charming manner.

The enjoyable day starts off with coffee and croissants, whilst being introduced to your fellow foodies and the chef, followed by a discussion of the menu ahead. You are provided with an apron, an information pack, recipes, and a pen and paper to take notes. It is then time to scrub up and get hands on.

Classes are available either for the full day, half day or evening, and range from mastering the elements of one individual course, to tackling a five course dinner party menu. Each class concentrates on a particular cuisine, from Modern British, Mediterranean or Italian, to Fish & Seafood, Indian Fusion or Vegetarian.

The class I attended focused on simple, seasonal Mediterranean cooking, with big flavours and straight forward recipes; my absolute favourite.

As you make yourself comfortable in this cosy setting, the chef talks you through and demonstrates preparation and cooking techniques, allowing time for you to question, discuss and practice yourself. We started with beautiful courgette and feta canapés that were so simple to prepare yet looked and tasted divine. The main course brought together a number of elements, from boned and rolled herb stuffed lamb, served with a fresh herb filled couscous, to char-grilled vegetables, dips and a warm toasted pitta bread. The light, summer berry dessert finished off the menu with a final flourish of bursting flavour and sumptuous simplicity.

The ingredients used at the Smart School of Cookery are fresh and delicious, the tuition is professional and down to earth, the completed dishes, sublime, and the entire day, very enjoyable and informative.

Summary
The Smart School of Cookery is an intimate dining and learning experience, where you can gain insider tips and tricks of the trade from specialist celebrated chefs, in an informal and relaxed atmosphere. The ingredients used are fresh and delicious, the tuition is professional and down to earth, the completed dishes, sublime, and the entire day, very enjoyable and informative.