School of Artisan Foods: I went back to school for the day and it inspired me to become a master chef

I have always been a big fan of online learning. I still am, but something happened to shift my perception.

The School of Artisan Food’s (TSOAF) invite for Press Day saw me go from staunch ‘I can learn anything on YouTube’ to ‘I need to get booked onto TSOAF courses now.’

Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with online learning. During lockdown I learnt how to temper chocolate, make pasta from scratch and build a six-tier cake from my kitchen in Derby using just online tutorials.

But I have rediscovered the joys of learning in person, with knowledgeable tutors who will share plenty of tips along the way. 

Derby World was invited by The School Of Artisan Food to try out courses and get a taste (pardon the pun) of what they have to offer. 

I have attended around three cookery classes since studying for my Home Economics A Level back in the nineties.

Although I was looking forward to the school and meeting fellow food enthusiasts, I didn’t really think the day would be life-changing. 

Oh, but it was.

Situated in the heart of the beautiful Welbeck Estate at the edge of Sherwood Forest, TSOAF offers a wide range of hands-on courses.

You can learn to make bread, charcuterie, cheese, patisserie, and more, with courses ranging from a half-day short course to a full BSc (Hons) degree. 

The day which provided a taste of the newly launched Artisan Summer School consisted of a practical patisserie workshop with tutor Martha Brown, making amaretti and honeycomb.

An afternoon demonstration of BBQ, smoking, and curing followed in the courtyard with tutor Sally-Ann Hunt.

A practical bread workshop with Head of Baking, Kevan Roberts, would be the grand finale where we made Italian breads of focaccia and grissini.

Morning - Patisserie

Led by tutor Martha Brown, the two-hour session saw us enjoy a dough lamination demonstration where Martha beat the heck out of butter (I can’t wait to try this at home, it looked majorly therapeutic).

We also made honeycomb and amaretti, two things I have been meaning to make for the past few years but never got around to.

We worked in pairs and my partner-in-crime for the morning was Karen Wright, Great British Bake Off contestant in 2018.

Martha and her team kept an eye on us and were quick to jump in and help if we had any questions.

Takeaway: I loved this session so much, I have already scoured my larder for ingredients to make a fresh batch of honeycomb (guess what my friends and family will be receiving this Christmas from me!).

Lunch - BBQ

We were in the highly capable hands of Sally-Ann Hunt, who showed us how to smoke, cure and BBQ, all from the pretty courtyard at the School.

I’m not a huge fan of meat, but even I was enthralled by Sally-Ann’s knowledge.

A duck leg, venison haunch and a full cauliflower head were given the BBQ treatment.

Takeaway: I learned so much in this two-hour session, which I think is amazing considering I don’t even eat meat that much.

For example, if I’m barbecuing chicken on a plancha (flat grill), moving the meat from one side of the hot surface to another, will mean a more even distribution of heat. Also, injecting a cauliflower’s stem and through the florets with butter means flavours can be imbued from the inside.

Afternoon - Bread

The session with Head of Baking Kevan Roberts saw us make Italian bread.

My favourite part was slamming grissini dough onto the work surface to build gluten. It was a bit of a messy exercise, some of us ended up with dough on our faces and clothes!

Takeaway: This was an epic end to a glorious day. 

I didn’t think this was possible, but next time I make bread, I will not use my beloved KitchenAid, which I use all the time.

My thoughts on The School of Artisan Food

People can take their cooking to the next level with the School.

From a personal perspective, I found learning on-site is an immersive experience and one that will stay with me for life.

I am already looking at courses that I can take later this year, because what I learnt on the day, I can apply to my everyday cooking.

I was blown away by the tutors’ knowledge and how readily they shared their personal tips and tricks with me. 

I cannot wait to return and would like to thank Emily, Ian, the tutors and the entire team for a wonderful day. 

Prices of courses vary, starting from £95 for a half-day session of Make Your Own Sausage, to £615 for Creative Patisserie and £1295 for Butchery Fundamentals.

The 4-week Artisan Summer School has been launched by TSOAF to commemorate 15 years’ of teaching healthy, sustainable food production skills.

It offers students the chance to become immersed in the world of artisan bread baking, viennoiserie, patisserie, pizza making, BBQ and ice cream making.

Their special summer programme also features over 40 short courses during July and August. 

The price for the 4-week Artisan Summer School is £3,995.

For more information about The School of Artisan Food visit their website by clicking here. 

To look at The School of Artisan Food’s full summer programme, click here.

Address: The School of Artisan Food can be found at: Lower Motor Yard, Welbeck, Nottinghamshire, S80 3LR