Robbie Davison from the Can Cook Studio reveals his tips for ensuring your cookery school experience is the best it can be.
Cookery schools can be a mixed bag, some great, some good, some not so. Often it depends on your own previous experience and expectations.
If you have never visited a school before, almost any experience you have will become a positive one; watching chefs perform and playing with food has that effect.
But visit a few and you will soon start to spot the differences - the good chefs, the schools offering value for money, the recipes that are about you learning, not just the chefs showing off, the list goes on.
In the mix of what makes a good and bad experience, for most people, price is important and let’s face it, there are some schools out there charging a premium, so picking the wrong one can be a costly mistake.
With all this in mind, here are ten tips to help ensure your cookery school experience is a good one.
1. What do you want to get out of it?
To start, ask yourself the question - Do you want a foodie experience? Is it more about trying new foods or is it about learning new skills?
2. Choose the right level
Ensure you pick the correct level of course for your current level of skills and let the cookery school know your level as you join. Schools can be flexible but it helps if everyone is at a similar skill level.
3. Check numbers
Find out how many people are on the course and the chef to person ratio. Rule of thumb, 1-10 people training = one chef – 10-20 people = 2 chefs.
4. How long does it last?
If it’s quality cooking time you are after, ask about the length of time spent cooking. A good day will give you hours of cooking time to hone your skills.
5. Investigate the chefs
A good chef doesn’t automatically mean a good trainer, so find out about the chef’s training experience to see whether or not they are likely to be a good teacher.
6. Check reviews
Check out the internet and blog posts, as well as social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook, to establish first-hand what others have said about the school.
7. Consider the space
The quality of the space matters. How much space will you have to cook in? And is it a purpose-built cookery school with the user in mind? Some schools are tight and impersonal - so check this out. The website should offer good pictures or a video to let you look around.
8. What can you take home?
Taking home food and recipes, as well as other items such as books and aprons adds to the memory of the day. Again, check the cookery school’s website carefully to see what will be included.
9. It’s all about the price
Price, price, price – compare and contrast a few schools; a telephone call to a couple of schools will give you an insight into who should get your custom.
10. Go with someone
And finally, if it is your first time at a cookery school, it can be worth going with a friend or family member, as it always helps with those first-time nerves.