Staff at the Vegetarian Cookery School in Bath (photo by Rob Wicks, Eat Pictures)
Basic Ingredients: Professional vegetarian chef Rachel Demuth was a founder of the Neal’s Yard Bakery in Covent Garden before turning her attentions to Bath, where she pioneered vegetarian and vegan cooking with the Broad Street Bakery. She went on to establish award-winning vegetarian restaurant Demuths in 1987 and finally, in 2001, set up the Vegetarian Cookery School. The Georgian venue boasts a spacious, pristine, purpose-built kitchen with wonderful views of the nearby abbey. The rest of the team have been plucked from the nearby restaurant and include two head chefs and a food stylist. Classes promise to be a healthy mixture of hands-on and demonstration and, in true vegetarian style, seriously laid back, with everyone ‘cooking together, eating together’. All courses are either full-day, half-day or evening, priced at £135 – £175, £75 and £45 respectively. They range from workshops in raw food, bread-making and pasta to master classes with special guest hosts such as Fabulous Baker Brother, Tom Herbert, Chantal Coady from Rococo, Yotam Ottolenghi and, ‘queen of vegetarian cooking’, Rose Elliot. There is also a broad choice of international cuisine from French, Spanish, Moorish, Lebanese, Vietnamese and Southern Indian and some interesting options in the form of Supper Club evenings, Cooking Holidays and the Young Vegetarian Chef competition.
They say: For everyone from beginners through to accomplished home cooks, these courses provide inspiration and ideas that are easily achievable in your own kitchen with the emphasis on inspiring you to cook with renewed passion.
We say: Rachel knows her stuff. She has been a chef and cookery teacher for 30 years and both a pioneer and leader in creative vegetarian cuisine. Demuths’ ample choice of courses is testament to the limitless potential of veggie cuisine. There are more than 20 different courses to choose from and day courses accommodate up to 14 people with potentially 10 different dishes being cooked, so it’s unlikely you’d be stuck for inspiration if eschewing meat. In fact, approximately 60 per cent of those who attend are non-vegetarians so for those carnivores seeking fresh ideas, the doors are most certainly open. To top it all the new website is colourful, inviting and easy to navigate. In fact it’s arguably the best cookery school website in the UK.
01225 427938; www.demuths.co.uk
I’ve been on three of Rachel’s cooking classes (Fast & Delicious, Simple Suppers, and Ottolenghi’s masterclass), two of her supper clubs (Indian and Mexican) and her French cookery holiday. Yes, they are classes that keep me coming back again and again. They’ve all have been amazing and I learn something new every time. I’m not vegetarian, but I do love vegetables, and these classes have taught me how to “think outside the box” (unless we’re talking veg boxes!). It’s remarkable how something simple like cooking rice with a glass of white wine can turn bland rice into something extraordinary (a perfect stuffing for tomatoes!). I love their use of fresh herbs, salsas, dips and so on, which all come into play to make vegetable-based dishes that are interesting, satisfying, and often surprising. It’s also worth mentioning the teachers: Rachel is amazing and I love Helen and Jo. The kitchen is beautiful. Great lighting. The recipe booklets we take away from the classes have a permanent place on my kitchen – I refer to them constantly. Overall, a happy, creative, relaxed, fun place to cook and eat.
Demuth’s Vegetarian Cookery School courses are, quite simply, wonderful; offering something for everyone irrespective of dietary persuasion. Available throughout the year, there are a huge variety of options to choose from, each representing a value for money fun day out.
Having attended many different courses over the years I find each experience is quite unique and every time Rachel and her delightful team are on hand to guide and inspire. Creating fabulous food is only part of the offering as there is also a chance to meet and share experiences with lovely people, learn useful kitchen tips and tricks, eat loads of food and have fun. There is absolutely no pressure; so novice and experienced cooks feel equally at ease and everyone learns something new to take away at the end of the day.
I have been to the Christmas cookery class for the past 3 years and also to the Moroccan Flavours class.
Each time Rachel and her wonderful staff, Jo and Jan, have been welcoming, professional and inspiring.
I’m not a vegetarian but have begun to incorporate more vegetarian dishes in my cooking as a result
of the classes. The enthusiasm and professionalism of the team is evident at all times and the coming together at the end of the day
to sample food is always a delight!