This exciting new venture combines cooking for life with the chance to learn new skills direct from some of Cornwall’s most celebrated chefs.
The programme aims to equip students with cookery skills for life and the ability to create high-end luxury cuisine. They will also have the chance to take a ringside seat as some of Cornwall’s most influential chefs show them how to recreate culinary perfection.
Focussing on Andy’s signature seasonal Italian food, the chef’s table masterclass introduced students to dishes including roasted Crown Prince squash risotto, handmade gnocchi in burnt butter and cavolo nero and chestnut pesto.
Andy said: “A chef’s job is to teach as well as feed the masses. I walked into a kitchen as a young lad and I was taught how to cook and that’s what you do – you pass on your knowledge. That’s what I’ve been doing for the last 30 years. The session was really fun. The group was a little quiet to start with but food is a universal language and everybody got stuck in. I’m really happy to be involved.”
Andy is a self-taught chef, learning most of his skills from the culinary experts he has worked with throughout his career. Most recently, he has been head chef at Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall. He was in the position for nine years and before that at the flagship restaurant, Fifteen London.
Alongside overseeing the award-winning restaurant he also managed the apprentice chef training programme that had, to date, graduated 101 young chefs through the programme into the industry.
Andy left Fifteen in February 2016 to start Appleton’s at the Vineyard and has built a following thanks to his unique menus which meld the best of Italy and Cornwall. Having grown to become one of Cornwall’s favourite restaurants, Appleton’s will be relocating to an exciting new venue in Fowey, opening 1 March 2020.
Appleton’s is currently crowdfunding to refurbish the new restaurant in Fowey which is currently an empty shell. If you would like to offer your support please head to www.crowdfunder.co.uk/appletons-bar-restaurant
The masterclass is the first of many for the bespoke cookery programme which will next week welcome MasterChef quarter-finalist and Persian Food specialist, Kate Attlee.
Other weeks will include learning from some of Cornwall’s most influential chefs including Stephane Delourme, Head Chef at Rick Stein’s Seafood Restaurant for the last 21 years; Tom Hazzledine, Founder and owner of Baker Tom; Nick Evans, Head Chef Lecturer at Rick Stein’s Cookery School; and Mariana Chaves, Head Pastry Chef at Fifteen Cornwall and formerly Nuno Mendes (Chiltern Firehouse) and Le Cordon Bleu.
Students will also gain invaluable cookery skills for life and produce high skill luxury cuisine in sessions led by the programme’s leaders – Good Schools Guide Gold award-winning Food teacher Mrs Lisa Van der Lem and Cordon Bleu-trained chef Mrs Fyonah Ferris.
Mrs Van der Lem said: “What a fantastic way to start the programme! I think the empty tasting plates said it all. The girls were completely inspired by the passion Andy showed and the delicious recipes that he shared with us. There were so many new skills and ideas for them to put into practice at home and here at school. I can’t wait for what’s to come.”
