Cook
in
France
A relaxed friendly hands-on cooking holiday in the Dordogne, France
Tel: 0033 (0)553 302405      Bombel, 24290, St Amand de Coly, Sarlat, Dordogne, France      GPS: N45° 01.915/E001° 15.295    Google Maps

Five Day/Five Night Cooking Course Itinerary

(See the itinerary at-a-glance)

This is the itinerary for a typical week...

All the cooking is fully hands-on with only a few brief demos by me, the chef, in order to cover a particular technique.

The aim is to cover as many techniques and dishes as can be fitted into the week by using tried and tested restaurant techniques adapted to make cooking at home for large numbers a doddle.

Blanching, refreshing, searing, blow-torching, filleting...

You'll be shown professional methods, such as the blanching and refreshing of ingredients, which will allow you to prepare much of the meal in advance.

That means no more last minute panic in the kitchen and plenty of time to spend with your guests.

Pick up some great skills...

Although you won't be sitting down to a restaurant-style meal every evening you'll still get to prepare, cook and present (plate-up) all the meals in a modern professional way.

While all this is going on you'll be picking up all manner of tips, tricks and techniques, so, by the end of the week, you'll have a battery of skills to take home with you!

A week of rich restaurant-quality food...

Some of the time, you'll be cooking full dishes for real meals just as you would, say, for a dinner party at home (i.e. prepare, plate up, serve and consume!).

However, I'm quite sure you wouldn't normally want to eat a three course restaurant-style meal every day for five days running, so we'll take pity on you and lighten the load somewhat.

So how does that relate to the itinerary..?

Monday is arrival day, so relax, chill-out and enjoy the evening with Apero (pre-dinner drinks and snacks), followed by a three course gourmet meal cooked by the chef.

Tuesday you'll prepare, cook and present your own two course evening meal, ie a main course and dessert. In that way, you'll get a great sense of cooking for real meals in real-time, say for a family get-together or dinner party. A light lunch will be prepared by Liz, leaving you to concentrate on dinner.

Wednesday morning is set aside for a trip to Sarlat's wonderful medieval market.

After that, we'll come back here to cook a fantastic lunch, then then you can either do some more cooking with me or have the afternoon off to do with as you please.

We won’t be cooking or preparing dinner, so, in the evening, you are free to go out for a meal and experience the culinary delights of the Dordogne.

A meal out might involve a great value five course dinner at one of our favourite restaurants, or a gourmet saunter around one of the area’s prolific ‘night markets’ (a local village affair where you’ll find stalls selling hot and cold local dishes and wine which you can consume in the village square on trestle tables cheek by jowl with the locals).

Thursday you'll prepare and cook your own lunch, then prepare the main course for the evening meal. Dessert will be a selection of local patisseries.

Friday’s lunch will be a simple informal affair prepared behind the scenes. This gives you plenty of time to concentrate on the task ahead...

This is when you get to put everything you've learned to the test when you cook the two course evening meal.

You'll form into two groups and, under the guidance of either Liz or myself, plan, prepare, cook and present your chosen course.

Later, Lucy and I will join you for what is effectively your last meal at Bombel - a farewell celebration!

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Itinerary

(All times are approximate)

Monday:

Tuesday:

Wednesday:

Dinner: We won’t be cooking dinner, so, in the evening, you are free to go out for a meal and experience the culinary delights of the Dordogne.

For those without access to a car, please take advantage of your morning’s trip to Sarlat and buy some ingredients to cook later on using the Cookinfrance kitchen.

Thursday:

By Thursday lunchtime, you will, with my help, have sorted out what you are going to cook for tomorrow’s farewell evening meal. Lucy will then shop for the ingredients in readiness for Friday’s session.

Friday:

Earlier in the week you’ll have formed into groups. Using the skills, techniques and knowledge you’ve acquired during a week of intensive cooking, your collective challenge will be to devise a two or three course menu for tonight’s farewell dinner.

Each group will be responsible for preparing and cooking one course out of the three i.e. a Starter, a Main Course or a Dessert.

With a full range of store cupboard items already here, a good selection of cookery books to browse through and me on hand to mete out sage advice, a great quality dish will be well within your grasp!

Saturday:

 

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Cooking courses in France - Now in it's 7th year!

After 7 years, even in these difficult times, our courses are more popular than ever!.

Which means, I suppose, that everyone still likes to get away for that much- needed break.

And, if that includes a great value activity such as cooking, painting or photography, well, we have just the thing for you!



Work with us in 2010 and join our friendly team.



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Infinitely flexible and valid for up to a year from date of purchase, gift vouchers can cover our full range of courses.

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Here you'll receive our undivided attention.

We don't rent gites or holiday homes or do Chambre d'Hote to supplement our income

So, our thriving Cooking, Painting and Photography courses run all year round just for you!

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5 Day/5 Night Cooking Courses Include:

  • Expert hands-on tuition with British chef

  • All courses conducted in English

  • All cooking ingredients, equipment and aprons

  • A continental breakfast each day

  • Lunch each day

  • Dinner
    (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday)

  • Tea, coffee and wine

  • An evening meal on the day of your arrival

  • En suite centrally-heated accommodation

  • Recipe pack containing all the dishes cooked during your stay

  • Entrance fees to places visited

  • Private and secluded pool

  • Internet and Email


    • Want to be sure? Read our great testimonials


    Some of the things you'll be doing on the cooking course:

    Learn how to cook pastries, breads and soups

    Select and prepare the best fish and shellfish

    Butcher common joints of meat

    Cook classic French and Italian sauces

    Construct modern dressings

    Master the art of stylish contemporary food presentation



    Our day courses:

    • Hands-on practical tuition with experienced friendly tutors

    • All ingredients

    • Utensils

    • Aprons

    • Breakfast

    • Lunch

    • Wine and beverages





    Your chef, Jim Fisher