News

NIGHT OF THE MICHELIN STAR AT THE COOKING SCHOOL

Thursday 22nd March 2012 9:02 AM

The Michelin starred Box Tree Restaurant from Ilkley began its 50th birthday celebrations last night with a gourmet tasting event at the Cooking School at Dean Clough. The award winning restaurant team delighted a packed house of eager foodies at the Halifax school with a demonstration and tasting of their modern French classic menu.

Head Chef Dan Birk gave away some of his Michelin kitchen secrets as he demonstrated delcious dishes including a Wild Garlic soup with Truffles and Quails eggs. Business owner Rena Gueller talked about the Box Tree's heritage with "behind the scenes" stories of the restaurant over the years - including coming across long lost menus from 1962. Then the restaurant was offering Dublin Bay prawn cocktail and Steak with peppercorn sauce. A far cry from today's classic menus under the Gueller management, featuring favourites such as roast scallops, creamed celeriac and white truffle, papilotte of pigeon and hot apricot soufflé.

Box Tree Sommelier Didier de Costa gave a masterclass in wine tasting and the art of matching fine food and wine. He told how his love of wine began at home in Brittany as a boy when his dad would flavour his soup in the traditional way - with a splash of wine!
Rena also told the audience about her husband Simon Gueller's lifelong friendship with world renowned chef Marco Pierre White who is now an ambassador for the Box Tree and a frequent visitor to Ilkley. Marco who began his career at the Box Tree will be the guest of honour at the restaurant's 50th birthday celebrations next week.

Cooking School Executive Chef Matthew Benson-Smith hopes the sell out event will be repeated soon. "It is a great honour for the Cooking School to host events with the Box Tree. Dan Birk made it all look so easy but you have to remember the pressure there is on any chef once there is a Michelin star to hold onto. I think that our Cooking School fans really appreciate being able to see that up close and ask any questions. There was lots of discussion about local ingredients, water baths, induction hobs and which blender to use! We are so grateful that despite time pressures, a renowned restaurant such as the Box Tree still takes the time out to support our work at the School and our UK cooking charity, Focus on Food".

Rena Gueller added, "It's a great pleasure to be supporting and working with such a friendly team, inspiring and motivating people to enjoy food".

Posted 9:02 AM | Permalink

RED HOT CURRY COURSES OPEN US ON A SUNDAY!

Friday 2nd March 2012 9:36 AM

Yorkshire's most popular curry cooking courses are proving such a success that the school where they are run is now having to open on Sundays! Ever since The Cooking School at Dean Clough in Halifax teamed up with Gordon Ramsay's favourite Indian restaurant Prashad, its curry cooking courses have been a constant sell out success. Manager Barbara Govan and Executive Head Chef Matthew Benson-Smith are delighted at the partnership with Kaushy and Bobby Patel begun last summer. Since then they have sold out 6 of the day-long courses with two next month already full.

To meet demand the team have come up with two new Gujerati menus so that there are now 3 in rotation at the school in Halifax, at the heart of the Yorkshire curry triangle. And they've also for the very first time decided to open up the charity Cooking School regularly on Sundays to cope with demand! Some curry - mad customers are booking onto all 3 courses so that they can recreate the delicious vegetarian cuisine.

Typical dishes on upcoming courses at The Cooking School at Dean Clough include Rhengan Revey - baby aubergines stuffed with rich peanut massala, perfectly cooked fluffy rice; Khuddy, a rich yoghurt sauce; Kalva, Gujerati Banana Bhanjis.

A days' cooking includes lunch and also your very own "takeaway" to impress friends and family. There are some places remaining on following dates Saturdays: May 12th, July 7th, Oct 27th, Nov 11th and Sundays August 19th and September 9th. Guests can combine a cooking course with a discount voucher for a meal at Prashad's restaurant in Bradford.

Business Development Manager Barbara Govan comments " The website crashed when we launched the first course. It has been mad ever since then. People just can't get enough of Prashad's delicious cooking courses. Also it's such a great, fun day. We all feel like we are members of the Patel family by the time Kaushy and Bobby send us home. Now we are opening on Sundays and bringing in new menus to cope with the demand. Plus all the profits go to our charity Focus on Food, teaching children, often in deprived communities how to cook - so we are grateful for the Patels' and our customers' support."

Posted 9:36 AM | Permalink

THE COOKING SCHOOL AND THE MALTINGS NEW PARTNERSHIP

Thursday 1st March 2012 9:58 AM

The Cooking School at Dean Clough and The Maltings (part of Hipperholme and Lightcliffe High School (HLHS)) are delighted to announce a strategic partnership to bring professional full time catering courses to Calderdale from September 2012.

The Cooking School at Dean Clough The Maltings, former Websters brewery, Picture from Halifax Courier

This will be the first time in 18 years that a course of this level in a practical environment will be offered to Calderdale Students. The course will be delivered in two historic landmark buildings within Calderdale. Both facilities meet employer demand through the provision of carefully targeted courses in employer-led, state of the art work-related facilities.

Anthony Smith, Executive Headteacher of The Maltings says, "We are delighted to be working with The Cooking School and are able to offer the young people of Calderdale amazing facilities, access to professional chefs and develop our industry partnerships further. We look forward to welcoming students to both centres on the open days and to working with The Cooking School to train the chefs of tomorrow today".

A special Taster Day will be running on Thursday 19 April. Prospective students can visit both The Maltings and The Cooking School at Dean Clough (transport between sites provided) to view the amazing facilities as well as chance to talk to professional chefs and Places are limited and we urge you to register your interest at www.hlhs.co.uk/themaltings.



Ruth Robinson, Managing Director of Design Dimension Educational Trust, the charity behind The Cooking School at Dean Clough says " This is an amazing opportunity for Calderdale and its younger generation. We are very proud of our state-of-the-art facilities at Dean Clough and of our highly skilled, experienced and inspirational chefs. With the opportunity of working in domestic and industrial kitchens and being exposed to real customers, the training offers fantastic opportunities for the students. We truly are excited to be working in partnership with The Maltings and for bringing professional catering opportunities back to Calderdale."

Click here to register your interest - and click on "Come and study here" then hospitality and catering to register your interest in the courses.

he Taster Day on 19 April will offer two sessions for students and their parents. The first between 3.30pm-5.30pm and the second between 6.00pm -8.00pm. Please note that places are limited.

Posted 9:58 AM | Permalink