Archive for

Apr 17

What We’ve been Cooking at the School of Food

Teaching how to make Citrus Curd

I started teaching an 11-Week Commis Chef Training course at Thomastown’s School of Food almost nine weeks ago and, I keep saying this, but I feel like the weeks have been flying! We got so lucky with an amazing group of diverse, very cool students from all walks of Irish life. They are really passionate about food and have made teaching an actual pleasure.

Dermot giving a steak demo at our BBQ in Inistioge

Most of the class (plus Dermot) in Inistioge

Sylvia and her gorgeous citrus meringue pie, Inistioge

Dermot Gannon, my co-tutor, and myself have been teaching the group everything from how to use a knife to how to ferment. We’ve spent days helping the school’s garden caretaker, we’ve gone outside to make wood-fired pizzas, we’ve packed up the school’s massive BBQ and cooked lunch for visitors, locals and even some Failte Ireland reps at the park in Inistioge and we’ve visited some really inspirational food producers.

Janine Vine-Chatterton taught the class about Kombucha and Kefir

Mags Morrissey (Hedgehog Bakery) taught the class about sourdough and fresh yeast breads

Ballinwillin Wild Boar Farm, Mitchelstown, Co. Cork

Pat at Ballinwillin

Wild Boar and Venison products at Ballinwillin

Caroline Hennessey giving a tour at Eight Degrees Brewing, Mitchelstown, Co. Cork

Beer and Cheese Pairings at Eight Degrees Brewing

At the end of our course, the students will put on a food fair at the school. Over the past few weeks they have excitedly been developing, pricing and marketing a food product to sell. I am really looking forward to the market, but I’m also NOT looking forward to it – it will mean the end of the course, and saying goodbye (for now, at least) to these wonderful human beings who haven’t just been great students – they’ve become our buddies.