Pass through the lively corridors of Jamie’s Italian in Westfield, Shepherd’s Bush, past the bustling kitchen bursting with flavours and you will discover the recently launched Jamie Oliver Cookery School.
From May 2016 the cookery school will be offering a plethora of enticing culinary lessons, beginning with two classes per mid-week evening and up to ten on the weekends.
The classes on show range from devilishly delicious temptations such as “Roasted Pork Belly” and “Get Stuck into Steak” to nutritious and exotic options such as “Vietnamese Street food” and “A North Indian Thali”. For those wanting to master chef skills there are several “Sharpen your knife Skills” programs including how to fillet a fish and debone a chicken as well as the popular “Pasta Master” lessons. For those who want to satisfy a sweet tooth and get their hands sticky then the “Dipping into Chocolate” is a must. Plus, don’t forget the kiddies – bring them along for specialised kids versions of chocolate and pizza making.
The school is manned by six trained chefs who all originated from the beloved Recipease store in Notting Hill. After shutting its doors in 2015, we have all been waiting for Jamie to return with a new concept to teach us his tricks of the trade. The Jamie Oliver Cooking School has taken the best bits from Recipease and simplified the concept, removing the added store, take out and deli additions. The new school now features some added techy gadgets such as state of the art hobs and TV screen tutorials. The sessions are intimate and the atmosphere has been transformed to give the school a home cooked vibe. Wooden walls, bench work tops, bowls of fresh vegetables and herbs and natural lighting transport each student to a kitchen that would feel right at home with the big JO.
The Jamie Oliver ethos of “anyone can cook” is very much instilled in the whole concept, as regardless of your level of gameplay, anyone can participate in the classes. There is no gourmet etiquette here or poncey cooking techniques, it is all about the bash and smash, sprinkle and tinkle model.
Class lengths vary from 90 minutes to all-day, so whether you are looking for an adventurous activity for those quintessentially British rainy days or a passion igniting date night idea, the Jamie Oliver Cookery School can cater for you.
To book lessons visit www.jamieolivercookeryschool.com. Prices start at £45 for adult classes and £25 for children’s classes.