Cooking or culinary holidays, vacations, tours in France:

French cooking classes in the Loire Valley
. . . learn from Michelin starred chefs and artisan bakers

Kathryn Gordon is a chef instructor at one of the largest and most prestigious culinary schools in New York. For the past six years, she has been working with the owners of le Moulin Bregeon in France to provide exceptional culinary courses in French cuisine which are open to all particpants regardless of training or skill.

Le Moulin Bregeon which translates as the Inn at the Mill, is located in Linieres-Bouton soem two hundred miles south-west of Paris in the Loire Valley. Kathryn's culinary trips enable all those who join her to share in the culinary and pastry delights of the Garden of France.

The programs which have been devised are unique as everyone ahs the opportunity to work with a variety of fine dining and artisinal chefs and bakers. Class menus are customized to the interest and skill levels of each group! There are classes at the inn and on location at Michelin starred restaurants, famous patisseries and organic bread bakeries. All classes are translated into English . . . there is no reason to have to speak French, unless you want to!

During the course you will stay at Le Moulin Bregeon . . . a very special place. The former mill is now a country inn which was converted from an Eighteenth century wheat mill. This is your base while you travel around and have classes in the Saumur / Angers area of Anjou whilst culinary related sightseeing will take you further afield in the Loire Valley, to visit wineries, distilleries, beautiful chateaux, farmers' markets, a chevre farm, walnut oil press, organic orchards . . .

These cooking classses in France are unique in that there is no pre-set, standardized program. Kathryn will customize the menus you learn with the chefs to the skill and interest level of each group. You are able to work with a variety of chefs, in multiple kitchen locations. You will have cooking lessons, and lessons in baking and breads. Some chefs come to the inn to teach, and other times you will go to the chefs own kitchens for classes. The chefs have taught professional level classes as well as recreational level, and will tailor their teaching to your needs.

The unique advantage of le Moulin Bregeon Cuisine Course in France is your opportunity to work with numerous chefs, in multiple disciplines, and in a variety of kitchens. Each trip is unique . . . the chefs you will work with are listed on your detailed trip itinerary. If you have any specific French recipes you would like to learn, they will try to accommodate your request.

On each trip you will learn about traditional pastries and breads, as well as fine dining recipes and traditional regional cooking methods. All of the sightseeing activities have also been carefully chosen for your French cultural experience, and may include working with an artisan bread baker, visits to markets, an artisan cheese maker, traditional oil press, functioning stone ground mill, sparkling wine caves, vineyards, liqueur distilleries, etc.

Le Moulin Bregion Mini Cuisine Course

Enjoy:

• Four filled days of classes, sightseeing and culinary related activities
• Full room and board for five nights, with local wines
• Small group size
• Work hands-on with diverse culinary and pastry chefs

Visit:

• Winery for tasting
• Organic chevre farm
• Chateau Chenonceau
• Mushroom caves

Take a variety of classes:

• Loire Country Dishes, with the Inn's own chef, Pascal Merillou
• Pastries and Viennoiserie with Le Notre trained pastry chef in Saumur
• Modern French Cuisine with Chef Lumineau a Maitres Cuisiniers de France

Sample Itinerary

Saturday:
Late afternoon meet owners of the inn at the Saumur train station who will transport you and your luggage to the inn, le Moulin Bregeon, with free time to explore or relax before dinner. Welcome dinner at the inn.

Sunday:
Breakfast at the inn. Visit to famous eastern Loire area Chateau de Chenonceau. Sandwich style lunch en route before visit to a winery and tasting in Chinon. Class in traditional salads at the inn with le Moulin’s Chef / Owner Pascal Merilou. Dinner at the inn.

Monday:
Breakfast at the inn. Morning and afternoon baking class with Chef Christian Godineau at his patisserie, la Duchesse Anne in Saumur (and tour of the artist's studio of the third owner of le Moulin, American painter Jonathan Robinson). Lunch at French style pizza restaurant. Visit to Supermarche en route home. Dinner at the inn.

Tuesday:
Breakfast at the inn. Class at inn with Maitres Cuisiniers de France Chef Jean-Noel Lumineau of Le Prieure restaurant followed by a question and answer session during lunch with the chef. Optional shopping trip / visit to Saumur. Dinner at the inn.

Wednesday:
Breakfast at the inn. Visit with Hughes Delahaye, master organic chevre maker, at his goats farm near St Georges sur Layon. Lunch at Linieres-Bouton trucker style restaurant. Afternoon class on Loire Valley regional country specialties with Chef Pascal. Dinner at the inn.

Thursday:
Early breakfast and early departure for return via train to Paris, or Charles de Gaulle airport for early afternoon flight home.

Le Moulin Bregion Full Cuisine Course

Enjoy:

• Six filled days of classes, sightseeing and culinary related activities
• Full room and board for seven nights, with local wines
• Minimum of six travellers, maximum of twelve
• Work hands-on with amazing culinary and pastry chefs

Visit:

• Sparkling wine caves
• Artisan oil press
• Organic chevre farm
• Nineteenth century distillery
• Farmers' markets
• Chateau Villandry
• Chateau Blois

Take a variety of classes:

• Loire and Dordogne Regional Country Foods, with the Inn's charming chef, Pascal Merillou
• Pastries and Viennoiserie with Le Notre trained pastry chef in Saumur
• Modern French Cuisine with Chef Lumineau a Maitres Cuisiniers de France
• Artisan Breads with an artisan baker in Angers
• Brittany style savoury crepes and desserts

Sample Itinerary

Sunday:
Departure from New York area airports for arrival to Charles de Gaulle early Monday morning

Monday:
Travel by train from Paris to Saumur. meet owners of the inn at the Saumur train station who will transport you and your luggage to the inn, le Moulin Bregeon, with free time to explore or relax before dinner. Welcome dinner at the inn.

Tuesday:
Breakfast at the inn. Bread tasting /discussion with artisan baker Philippe Soulard at la Maison du Pain in Angers. Lunch at troglydyte (traditional cave dwelling) restaurant Les Caves de la Genevraie in Rochemenier to eat Fifteenth century regional specialties. Visit Hughes Delahaye, master organic chevre maker, at his goat farm, near St Georges sur Layon. Class in traditional salads at the inn with le Moulin’s Chef / Owner Pascal Merilou. French salad dinner at the inn.

Wednesday:
Breakfast at the inn. Class at inn with Maitres Cuisiniers de France, Chef Jean-Noel Lumineau of Le Prieure restaurant followed by a question and answer session during lunch with the< chef. Afternoon visit to artisan nut oil press (hazelnut or walnut) in nearby village of Vernantes. Participate in Brittany style sweet and savory crepe dinner at the inn led by Bernard Levenez, one of the inn's three owners who is also the main tour guide and translator.

Thursday:
Breakfast at the inn. Morning session in making Brittany home style apple desserts at the inn with Bernard. Lunch at local trucker restaurant in Linieres-Bouton. Afternoon hands-on baking session with Pastry Chef Christian Godineau at his patisserie la Duchesse Anne in Saumur (and tour of the artist's studio of the third owner of le Moulin, American painter Jonathan Robinson). Dinner at the inn.

Friday:
Breakfast at the inn. Class on traditional French specialties with Pascal, and lunch at the inn. Visit to a supermarche to shop for items not available at the markets. Afternoon pastry and viennoisserie session with Chef Godineau. Dinner at the inn.

Saturday:
Breakfast at the inn. Shop with Chef Pascal Merilou at the markets in Saumur. Free time to shop in market area. Lunch at local pizza restaurant. Visit to Louis de Grenelle sparkling wine caves in Saumur, and historic Combier Triple Sec Nineteenth century distillery, with tastings after the tour. Dinner at the inn.

Sunday:
Breakfast at the inn. Visit to the famous Chateau de Blois in the eastern Loire area (visited in 1429 by Joan of Arc) and Chateau Villandry (Renaissance chateau known for its gardens). Sandwich style lunch en route for a visit to a winery in Chinon. Farewell dinner at the inn.

Monday:
Early breakfast and early departure, return via train to Paris Charles de Gaulle airport for early afternoon flights home.

Chefs of Breads and Baked Goods

• At Philippe Soulard's la Maison du Pain in Angers, students can learn about making traditional breads with organic flours and artisan methods.

Demonstrating how to shape baguettes	Comparing baguette crumbs with Baker Philippe

• At the mill, students will work with Bernard Levenez to learn recipes which he grew up making with his mother, also a chef. There is often the opportunity to make a variety of apple desserts, crepes, or jam from the inn's own orchard.
  
  Chef Bernard Levenez is one of the owners of the Inn and is responsible for some of your cooking lessons in the kitchens at the inn. Bernard is from Brittany, and enjoys sharing his mother’s recipes for a variety of traditional apple desserts, tarts and puddings. Bernard also loves to make jam, and has made most you have daily with breakfast.

Savory Chefs and Cheese Making

• Students work hands on with Chef Jean-Pierre Maussion at Auberge d’Eventard near Angers,
  preparing and eating lunch at his Michelin starred restaurant. Chef Maussion is also a corporate chef for Cointreau, and can customize a tour for your group.
  
  Culinary Chef Jean Pierre Maussion is the Chef Proprietor of the Michelin starred restaurant Auberge d’Eventard near Angers. Chef Maussion is associated with Cointreau (the distillery is nearby, and private tours can be arranged). Every morning he shops in the market to purchase his vegetables for the restaurant. In his open and sunny kitchen, you work with him and his sous chefs to prepare a multi-course lunch. Afterwards, the Chef will dine with you, having lunch and select wines for an open question and answer session – come prepared with your questions. Previous menus have included: Croustillant d’un Pied de cochon confit aux champignons du moment, jus reduit d’un vinaigre balsamique [pig ear and feet confit in a springroll]; fricassee d’un supreme d’une Volaille fermiere aux legumes du marche [chicken stew with market vegetables]; and gateau a la grand-mere [“grandmother’s” butter cake with fruits].

Cooking lunch with Chef Maussion	Preparing to eat lunch with the chef

• Students love working with the inn's Chef, Pascal Merillou. Pascal grew up in Bergerac along the Dordogne, and met Jonathan while studying cooking in Paris. He specializes in traditional, French country meals that you will enjoy learning and eating every night for dinner, using produce from his own organic gardens at the inn.
  
  Chef Pascal Merillou is one of the owners of the Inn and is responsible for some of your cooking lessons in the kitchens at the inn. Pascal is responsible for the delicious traditional dinners you will have nightly at the inn. His primary interest is the organic garden and fruit trees he has planted at le Moulin Bregeon. You accompany Pascal to a market to shop for local cheeses, sauccison, vegetables and breads for your regional cooking class in classic French dishes. Chef Pascal only buys organic, and will bypass the non-organic vendors. A typical dinner might include: Lentil Verte du Puy Soup, Lotte a l’Armoricaine (monkfish with apple tomato shallot sauce, a tangy and ancient regional recipe), salad and cheeses, and wine poached pears for dessert.

Pascal teaching a class	Pascal gets the goat!

• Maitres Cuisiniers de France, Chef Jean-Noel Lumineau, prefers to teach in the rustic kitchens of the inn. Sometimes we visit his restaurant Le Prieure for dinner.
  
  Culinary Chef Lumineau is the Chef at the Michelin starred restaurant Le Prieure (which is also part of an alternative rating system in France: Maitres Cuisinieres de France). Chef Lumineau prefers to teach in the rustic kitchens of the Inn at the Mill, and he will have lunch with you before returning to work. Previous menus have included Millefeuille de Langoustines au Coriandre et Gingembre [shrimp crisps], Sandre Roti sur la Peau, au fumet d’anis etoile [famous local fish with star anise], Filet d’Agneau Roti avec Champignons au thym et herbes du jardin [lamb with mushrooms and herbs], and Peches Roties au miel et romarin sauce caramel [roasted peaches with honey, rosemary and caramel].

• Hughes Delahaye, master chevre maker, only supplies his cheese to local markets or restaurants - not allowing them on planes to the US because of the high cost of pollution.

Patisserie and Viennoisserie

• Pastry Chef Christian Godineau trained at the world famous Le Notre in Paris, and trains apprentices in the classical system at his patisserie la Duchesse Anne. Working with Chef Godineau, with his Santa Claus-like smile, is one of our most popular classes. In one day, you will learn to make an amazing selection of modern French pastries and traditional viennoisserie - in the kitchen of his actual pastry shop.
  
  Pastry Chef Christian Godineau owns a beautiful pastry shop and tea salon in Saumur with his wife, Christiane Godineau (yes, they have the same name!). He trained at Le Notre in Paris and has the typical group of French apprentices working with him while they are in school from two to five years. He runs a full-service pastry shop, la Duchesse Anne, which also sells wedding cakes, viennoiserie, chocolate bonbons and ice creams. In previous sessions, he has been able to make an enormous variety of baked goods - pate brisee custard fruit tarts, croquembouche, opera and fraisier – classic grand gateaux, and his most famous mousse entremets: echiquier. You could also make some viennoisserie and the smooth skinned, Parisian style macarons.

Kathryn Gordon

Kathryn Gordon is recognized for her chocolate and sugar candies, and has been sharing her unique training and experience with students in pastry and baking programs for over seven years. Currently a Chef-Instructor in New York at the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE), formerly Peter Kump's Cooking School, she turned her knowledge and interest for cooking into a passionate career. Kathryn worked in Investment Banking and as a Management Consultant before deciding to pursue her long time interest in cooking.

Industry Experience
In her path to recognized pastry expert, Kathryn was privileged to train under renowned pastry chefs Jacques Torres and Kurt Walrath. She also earned a pastry and baking certification from L'Academie de Cuisine in Maryland, and later trained at two Four star New York restaurants - Le Bernardin and the first Le Cirque. She refined her culinary and pastry skills while working in the kitchens of leading Manhattan restaurants such as The Rainbow Room and Windows on the World. In addition, Kathryn has studied the art of confectionery with world pastry champions Ewald Notter, Anil Rohira, Pascal Brunstein, Olivier Bajard, and Stephane Glacier over a period of thirteen years.

Interest in Competitions
Kathryn has a successful record in industry competitions, including the prestigious US Pastry Championship. Every summer, she assists the producers of the World Pastry Forum. She also co-hosts the live Carymax World and National Pastry Championships (and is Master of Ceremonies for the bi-annual Bread and Pastry Competitions), with Food Network's personality Keegan Gerhard. A regular teacher-participant in competition training, Kathryn has taught a sugar workshop at the distinguished Salon Philanthropique at the Javits Center Convention Center in New York, and helps coach fellow chef-instructors in competition preparations for national and televised pastry competitions.

Connection to le Moulin Bregeon
Kathryn met American painter Jonathan Robinson and Chef Christiane Godineau and his wife Christiane in New Yok while she was the Pastry Program Director at the New York Restaurant School, now the Art Institute of New York. The courses she organized at the Inn evolved when she joined the faculty of the Pastry & Baking Career Program at The Institute of Culinary Education. Kathryn and the Inn at the Mill proprietors, Jonathan, Bernard and Pascal, believe they have structured a unique and special program with very talented chefs, who are looking forward to sharing their skills and recipes with you. Kathryn will use her industry expertise to help customize the menus and recipes you will learn with the various chefs, based on the needs, interests and skill levels of each student group.

Le Moulin Brégeon was in ruins, having been abandoned in the 1970s, when modern machines finally replaced the wheat-grinding paddle wheels. There were broken windows, collapsing roofs, blackened walls, a kitchen full of old wine barrels and cobwebs, stained floors, and rooms filled with old grain sacks . . . now, fully restored, it is a delightful and welcoming French inn.

Guests at Le Moulin Brégeon cannot help but absorb some of the proprietor's passion for French tradition and culture. The mill, which has five guest suites with private bathrooms, sits on twenty acres of streams, gardens, trails, and bike paths in the middle of quiet countryside, miles from town. The mill was rebuilt in the Nineteenth century, but when the present owners began renovations, traces of an old monastery were found beneath the foundation dating back to the Fifteenth century. Many of the mill's beautiful antique beds, sofas, and chairs have been collected by the owners over the years and fully restored to their former glory.

Guests eat dinner every night in a candlelit dining room next to the old paddle wheel of the mill or al fresco, depending on the season. It is usually a six-course gourmet meal cooked by Pascal Merillou, a Frenchman and one of the owners, with ingredients from the nearby market and vegetables from the mill's organic garden.