The TV company behind such shows as Saturday Kitchen and The Hairy Bikers' Food Tour of Britain are making a bold move into the real world by opening up a cookery school. And they've got some of the best names in the business to help them out.
The school, which opens today at the Cactus Studios in Clapham, is the brainchild of Cactus TV's MD Amanda Ross and is being run in partnership with none other than Michel Roux Jr.
They're launching with eight experiences - from the Saturday Kitchen Cooking Experience where you get a tour of the studios before a hands-on session with one of the show's guest chefs to the Ken Hom experience where he'll be teaching special dishes for Chinese New Year.
The first lesson is today where Michel Roux Jnr and Monica Galetti will be on hand to show attendees how to cook Mackerel with Cauliflower Puree and Vegetables a la Grecque, Roast Duck Breast on Wilted Turnip Greens and a Parsnip Tatin and Chocolate Soufflés with a Chocolate Sauce.
"Cactus Kitchens is a fantastic opportunity for the public to cook with and learn from world-class chefs, as they share their own passion for food," Michel told Hot Dinners, "and it’s a project I’m proud and excited to be a part of. I’ve been involved with the cookery school right through the creative process, from the design of the state-of-the-art cooking facilities to the dishes that will be taught, and I’m really looking forward to the cooking experiences kicking off this week!”
Expect the best from your TV-ready surroundings with 12 cooking stations fitted with state-of-the-art Miele induction hobs and ovens, and a large demonstration area. Each station is stocked with Global Knives, Kitchen Aid mixers and Green Pan cookware.
As you might have guessed, all this doesn't come cheap. A day with Michel Roux Jr himself costs £895, but you could also have an evening with Trinity's Adam Byatt whose The Pig One features the butchery of a Tamworth pig, some simple cooking demonstrations followed by supper and wine for £150.
For more information go to www.cactuskitchens.co.uk.
