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BREAKS COOKING : FRANCE |
COOKING
VACATIONS |
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FRENCH
DINING SCHOOL
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. . a unique home based cooking school in central Brittany
and Mayfair, London
French Dining School is a unique home based cooking school
located in the medieval village of Kerrouet in central Brittany.
The school is focused on gourmet quality French and modern
European cuisine. Students are encouraged to get actively
involved in all areas of food preparation. The area is noted
for its rolling hills, gastronomy, rustic roads and friendly
people. The school offers courses at all levels in French
and modern European and Scandinavian cuisine. Courses are
varied to ensure everyone gains hands on cooking experience
with our Michelin trained chef.
- Learn
the skills of the masterchef
- Impress
family and friends with gourmet dishes of exceptional quality,
taste and design
Brittany
Brittany is renowned for the quality and variety of its seafood.
Cancale oysters and scallops are sought for their unique taste
and culinary delight. Brittany is also famous for a whole
range of wonderful dishes from the famous galette buckwheat
pancake to the Far Briton a local custard cake.
The mussels and lobsters of Brittany are considered the best
in the world. The region is also known for its artichokes,
ciders and local cheeses as well as its locally produced Calvados
or eau de vie . . . the water of life!
Brittany is also famous for its extraordinary coastline,
its medieval castles, towns and villages. Great tracts of
original forest remain where wild boar roam and are hunted
in season. The forests also contain bountiful supplies of
ceps (porcini), girolles (chanterelles) and other mushrooms
in season.
Brittany has a wonderful Celtic heritage and a renowned archaeological
past.
Brittany is the legendary home of Merlin and King Arthur
and ancient folk festivals or Fest Noz (night festivals)
are still held with the sound of the bombard ringing out loud
across the countryside. In summer, whole communities - young
and old, come together to dance in magical circles in the
streets and even in the fields! This alone is an extraordinary
spectacle to behold and experience. The standing stones of
Carnac are older than the pyramids of Egypt and remain one
of the biggest tourist attractions in France.
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FIVE
DAY INTENSIVE COOKING COURSE - MENUS CHANGE ACCORDING
TO SEASON/MARKETS |
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This is our most popular course with two cooking classes
each day except on market day when only dinner is cooked.
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MONDAY (DAY 1)
We
start at 10.00 am with introductions, course program,
safety issues (use of knives, etc). We discuss each
daily menu before we commence preparation and actual
cooking.
Lunch
menu preparation
- Chicken
stock making for the week
- Starter:
Bruschetta on toasted bread
- Main:
Salmon fish cakes on a garden salad with homemade
sauce remoulade
- Cheese:
Selection of French cheeses
Dinner
menu preparation
- Starter:Artichoke
in a citrus soup
- Main:
Langoustine stuffed chicken leg with mushroom sauce
- Cheese:
Selection of French cheeses
- Dessert:Panna
Cotta with fresh summer fruits
TUESDAY (DAY 2)
Lunch
menu preparation
- Starter:
Gazpacho
- Main:
Turkey breast marinated in soya, ginger and chili
served on a salad with toasted pine kernels
- Cheese:
Selection of French cheeses
Dinner
menu preparation
- Starter:
Grilled scallops with endive soup and chives
- Main:
Veal fillet with basil sauce, creme fraiche potatoes
and rosemary roasted vegetables
- Cheese:
Selection of French cheeses
- Dessert:
Lemon cake with cointreau creme fraiche
WEDNESDAY (DAY 3)
Lunch
menu preparation
- Starter:
Small tomato pizza
- Main:
Warm smoked fish on a salad with horseradish cream
- Cheese:
Selection of French cheeses
Dinner
menu preparation
- Starter:
Grilled Langoustines with garlic butter
- Main:
Frikadeller Danish styled meat balls with
potato salad and cucumber salad
- Cheese:
Selection of French cheeses
THURSDAY (DAY 4)
- Visit
to market town of Dinan where you will have lunch
Dinner
menu preparation
- Starter:
Mushroom risotto
- Main:
Pan fried skate wing with lemon, capers, parsley &
new potatoes
- Cheese:
Selection of French cheeses
- Dessert:
Caramelized strawberries served with cinnamon and
a poppyseed ice cream
FRIDAY (DAY 5)
Lunch
menu preparation
- Starter:
Mussel soup with saffron
- Main:
Caesar Salad
- Cheese:
Selection of French cheeses
Dinner
menu preparation
- Starter:
Lobster bisque
- Main:
Slow roasted lamb with oven baked vegetables Cheese:
Selection of French cheeses
- Dessert:
Poached peach with a sabayon sauce and fresh raspberries
- Graduation
Ceremony
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FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION VISIT WWW.FRENCHDININGSCHOOL.COM
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FIVE
DAY TOUR AND COOKING COURSE |
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- Five
day courses with lunch and dinner
- Small
classes
- Hands
on cooking
- Sommelier
Wine tastings
- Walks
and guided tours of local food markets
- Food
sourced locally
- Modern
European cuisine
- All
classes are in English
Menus will vary depending on markets and the season but
in general the class will undertake food preparation for
full lunch and dinner at the school each day to include
starter, main course and dessert/cheese with wine, expert
guidance on specialist areas including fish, seafood,
shellfish, meats, game, cheeses,soups, sauce preparation,
stock making, baking, breads and pastries smoking, preserving,
menu planning, table setting, wines and the use of knives
and kitchen equipment.
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Whatever your level we will ensure you gain key skills
whether it be preparing lobsters, smoking salmon, making
sorbets, mousselines, pastries, sauces, ice creams, garnishes
and the best of the wonderful world of French cuisine
to turn you into a competent and confident home chef.
You will gain lots of culinary tips and knowledge which
can only be acquired from working alongside highly skilled
and experienced chefs. All meals taken at the school are
to Michelin standard. There are also guided tours to food
markets and beautiful medieval towns arranged.
MONDAY (DAY 1)
- Arrival
and Welcome
- Introductions
to Kerrouet House and Village
- Accommodation
in local gites
- Preparation
of Lunch and Dinner
TUESDAY (DAY 2)
- Visit
to La Mont St Michele
- Lunch
in local restaurant
- Oyster
tasting in Cancale with dinner in St Malo
WEDNESDAY (DAY 3)
- Cooking
all day at Kerrouet House
THURSDAY (DAY 4)
- Visit
to market town of Dinan with lunch
- Cooking
in evening
FRIDAY (DAY 5)
- Visit
Josselin Castle lunch in local restaurant
- Banquet
dinner at Kerrouet House
- Graduation
ceremony
FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION VISIT WWW.FRENCHDININGSCHOOL.COM
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ABOUT
THE FRENCH DINING SCHOOL |
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Kerrouet House
The house was built in the Sixteenth century as the home
of the tax collector for the nearby Manor of Plessy and
two other manor houses in the area. As a royal
longere it fell into neglect during the French Revolution
and was abandoned for many years.
In recent times the house has been home to a professor
of Mathematics (Sorbonne) but unfortunately fell
into a near derelict state in the 1990s. The house was discovered
on a holiday visit to Brittany. Despite the jungle of nettles,
brambles, thistles and ivy, Niall fell in love with the
monastic stone entrances, grand fireplaces and royal chimney.
Over the past few years artisans have worked hard to restore
the property and now the premises are used as a popular
cooking school with a growing international reputation.
Kerrouet Village
The village of Kerrouet lies in the heart of The Mene
- the beautiful rolling hills of Brittany which are so famous
for walking and cycling holidays.
Kerrouet is located an hour from Rennes with links to Eurostar
in Paris and Charles de Gaulle Airport as well as direct
flights to Paris, Edinburgh and Dublin. Dinard Airport is
a forty minute drive with Ryanair links to London and East
Midlands. Nantes Airport has direct links to Dublin, East
Midlands, Leeds Bradford, and Marseilles.
St Malo port and the wonderful seaside resorts of Val Andre
are only an hour away. Only 3 hours from Paris via rail
to Rennes. Cancalle, also nearby, is world famous for its
oysters and seafood. The world famous Kerrouet Royale
was created in Kerrouet and named after the village. Students
get a taste of this cocktail on graduating from the school!
YOUR HOSTS
Poul Jensen
Poul has over twenty-eight years in the restaurant business.
He trained and graduated from one of the best French restaurants
in Denmark (Gammel Aalbyhoj - Relais Gourmand - Tradition
et Qualitie).
He gained invaluable experience at some of the world's
most esteemed restaurants including Longueville Manor (Jersey
Channel Islands); Mietta's Restaurant of Melbourne (Australia)
and the world renowned liner the QE2. In London Poul worked
for Noble Rot (Mayfair) and The Walbrook Club (City of London)
with Albert Roux.
Poul has also run his own restaurant in Denmark (Ebeltoft)
for 8 years and gained widespread recognition for his cuisine.
Poul has also worked in the wine industry with some of the
best wine houses of France. Poul is a member of some of
the worlds most esteemed gastronomic organisations including
Eurotoque, International Federation Cuisinier Exclusive
d'Europe and the Confrérie de la Chaîne des
Rôtisseurs.
Niall O'Reilly
Niall was brought up on a dairy farm in Ireland. The family
were completely self sufficient - making all their own butter,cheeses,
sausages, chutney, jams, cakes and breads. At an early age
he was baking cakes, making soups and jams, churning butter
and collecting sorrel from the hedgerows!
Niall has worked in the entertainment industry (National
Theatre London) for many years but now enjoys doing what
he does best. He is particularly interested in nutrition
for healthy living and food safety. Niall harvests his own
organic tea (lime tree blossom) along with a host of other
specialities. He also developed Kerrouet Royale - a world
class cocktail which is named after the local village!
Niall loves exploring old recipes and developing new ones.
He launched a new dessert, rosehip posset, using wild rosehips.
He has also enhanced the famous traditional Briton galette
with the calette replacing the use of processed meats with
healthy vegetable options. Niall is chief walking &
cycling guide at the school and invites students to explore
places of interest . The geology,fauna and flora of central
Brittany is unique and unspoiled.
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| Poul
Jensen |
Niall
O'Reilly |
FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION VISIT WWW.FRENCHDININGSCHOOL.COM
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