Vegetarian food is no longer the challenging option that it used to be – now it's easy being green. Regularly creating exciting vegetarian meals doesn't need to be daunting; if you're stuck in a culinary rut, why not set yourself a new challenge and try one of our specially selected vegetarian cookery courses.
Greater LondonThe Veggie Kitchen
T: 0208 204 1906
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Stanmore, Middlesex
If
you’re bored of your day-to-day vegetarian repertoire, then the
Veggie Kitchen is the place to go. Specialising in veggie Indian cuisine as well as Thai, Mexican, Chinese,
Lebanese (to name a few), the courses are
aimed at all levels of experience, and offer a memorable
experience in a homely environment using a contemporary
approach to cooking. After a day at the Veggie Kitchen you'll
be full of ideas and will be able to recreate some
exotic dishes in your own home. Courses, £105 for six classes; One-to-one class, £105; Diwali Mithai class, £20
.London and North
West Hampstead, London
Offering courses in north-west England and London, the Vegetarian Society's
cookery school has an established reputation for teaching innovative vegetarian cuisine. Whether you're new to the kitchen, a fussy eater, or a keen cook, Cordon
Vert offers helpful, interesting courses. The variety of courses is impressive – from
Fragrant Lebanese Workshops, to Middle-Eastern Cauldron Foods – there’s even a Casablanca session. You can study for a Diploma or sign up to a short course. One-day workshops, £108; Two-day workshops, from £308 – demonstrations are given for you to later recreate, then sample with a
rejuvenating glass of organic vegetarian wine.
North
Take a class at
Harmony House, where
the name speaks for itself; the school, once the village post office, is
set in beautiful, peaceful surroundings in a quaint Yorkshire
village five miles south of York. Your
day commences with tea, coffee and biscuits while you meet your tutors and fellow
students and get an introduction to your
surroundings. Then it's into the kitchen to don aprons and begin your culinary creations. Once
you’ve worked your way through the extensive menu, sit back, relax, and dine on your good work. The one-day Vegetarian and Special Diets course costs £40 per person, or £70 for two.
South
Voted in the Top 10 cookery
schools worldwide by the
Independent on Sunday,
The Gables holds a host of cookery courses to cater to your culinary
interests. At the Vegetarian one-day cookery course you'll learn
to cook healthy and nutritious veggie dishes with an adventurous slant, including Camembert and shallot tarts; mushroom, courgette and mascarpone
Lasagne; and iced berries with hot white chocolate sauce. Tutors aim to reignite the imagination and challenge common (mis)conceptions about vegetarian food. The Vegetarian course costs £135, and is aimed at those with a basic to intermediary level of cooking skill.
It doesn’t matter if you’ve never so much as picked up a knife before, or if you are already a budding chef, the Vegetarian Cookery School offers a range of hands-on courses to cater for all capabilities. Join up to 10 fellow students in a masterclass and finish the day enjoying the fruits of your labour, enjoyed alongside an organic tipple. One-day courses cost £115; in that time you'll make eight fine dining dishes including delicacies such as Dolcelatte and orange squash ravioli; borlotti bean & chestnut stew; and gooey chocolate pudding with brandied cherries. Check the
website for other course options.
T: 01364 652784
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Ashburton, Devon
At this leading independent cookery school learn from the best using organic, seasonal produce to conjure up delicious dishes. Ashburton offers practical advice that's easy to recreate at home, or professionally if you're planning a career in catering. The vegetarian cookery courses offered at Ashburtons vary in terms of length, difficulty and content so check the
website. Prices range from £145 for a one-day course, to £269 for a two-day experience. Whatever your choice, it will result in mouth-wateringly moreish dishes.
Scotland
T: 01877 389 900
Stirling, Scotland
Instead of marvelling at Mr. Nairn's endlessly creative concoctions on
Ready Steady Cook, why not go one step further and join him and his team at a converted piggery on Nick's Port of Menteith estate. Nick dreamt of running a school for years before he finally set up his vision of a foodies' heaven. The establishment is at the top of its game, yet remains grounded by the onus on fresh, local, organic produce. If you’re free on Friday 20th February 2009, then be sure to spend the day here on his Contemporary Vegetarian Cookery class. A one-day cooking experience at the Nick Nairn Cook School costs from £170. Further details are listed on the
website.
Michelin-starred chef Martin Wishart's
Cook School is a stylish and sophisticated establishment in the heart of Edinburgh that blends classical and contemporary culinary styles. Let the day unfold at the Practical Vegetarian Cooking class as you learn to select only the finest ingredients and create dishes for a three-course menu based around those at Martin's award-winning restaurant, mustering up dishes such as pickled organic beetroot, cucumber nage and beetroot foam. The importance of individual tuition is important here; you'll be in a small class so you can interact with the tutors on a more personal level. The next Vegetarian Cookery day is in December and costs £130.
Wales
T: 01591 610264
Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys
The friendly folk at
J&R welcome anyone who has ever wanted to learn to cook. Here you'll find a down-to-earth approach to cooking and you can also learn how to work within a budget, or create table layouts for a dinner party to impress. Take the Welsh Cooking Day class, tackle the Big Welsh Game course
, sample a
A Taste of the Mediterranean or go for the one-day Vegetarian Dishes from around the World course, which costs £165. In a relaxed, and informal manner, you'll get tips on how to create your non-meat masterpieces, while sipping on a glass of wine.