THE ESSENTIAL VEGETARIAN COURSE
If you’re new to vegetarian cooking or want to explore the diversity of plant-based eating, this essential vegetarian cooking course is for you! Over eight weeks, one evening a week, you’ll learn how to eat seasonally and create nutritionally balanced meals, as well as develop some fundamental techniques of cookery. At the end, you’ll return to your home kitchen with the confidence and competence to take on any vegetarian dish. We also run the same course over four consecutive days – see our Essential Vegetarian Intensive course.
This essential vegetarian cooking course is designed for beginners or those with a basic knowledge of cooking who are looking for fresh inspiration. You’ll cover everything from sauces, dips and breads to roasts and confit. It’s not just savoury dishes – the final session covers a selection of yummy vegan desserts.
At the start of each session, you will be welcomed with a snack to revive you for the evening. At the end of each class, you will sit down to enjoy eating all that you have made with a glass of wine. Throughout every class of this essential vegetarian cooking course, our expert cookery teachers will be on hand to any questions you have.
We are happy for students to pay for this course in up to three installments with the final payment made at least one week before the course starts. If you would like to do this then please phone us to book your place.
Just wanted to drop a quick line to say that I loved this course. Alice and Edwin were absolute stars and the quality of the recipes was largely very good. I throughly enjoyed my time at The Cookery School and would definitely recommend it to others – Margarita.
In this essential vegetarian cooking course, you will cover:
Session 1 – Stocks & soups
We will start this class with a demonstration on how to make vegetable stock and dashi before you start the hands-on work. You will learn to make puy lentil & vegetable soup, cauliflower & white bean soup, butternut soup and vegetable & soba noodle soup. Once you can make one soup, the possibilities are endless!
Session 2 – Stews & casseroles
You will be amazed at how many dishes are based on the principle of a basic stew. You will learn to make dishes such as Moroccan vegetable stew with couscous and harissa yoghurt, mushroom bolognese with polenta and vegetarian shepherd’s pie with root vegetable mash
Session 3 – Sauces, dips & breads
In this class, we bust the myth that breadmaking is tricky. You will learn to make and shape simple bread doughs that are designed to accompany a range of dips and sauces. From there, you’ll make lentil daal, hummous, vegan ranch dip, pea & mint dip, almond crackers, pizza and shakshuka.
Session 4 – Salads & dressings
After this session, substantial salads and dressings will become part of your repertoire. Learn how to make the likes of mixed pulse salad with lemon and olive oil, seasonal chopped market salad with honey mustard dressing, potato salad with vegan mayonnaise, tabbouleh and watercress, pear & Stilton salad with walnut dressing, as well as baked aubergine with chilli and coriander.
Session 5 – Roasts & confit
Use your oven to best advantage and learn to make confit squash or pumpkin, lentil & quinoa loaf, squash, chestnut & pistachio roast, cauliflower steak with tahini sauce and stuffed roasted aubergine.
Session 6 – Grills & griddles
Grilling and griddling is a great way to cook healthy food as it uses very little oil. Example dishes include grilled vegetables with pesto, veggie kebabs with halloumi cheese and bean burgers with sweet potato chips. In addition, we will also cover grilled tempeh and fennel with puy lentils and orange vinaigrette.
Session 7 – Pastry & pies
In this class, you will master the techniques needed to be able to make and use perfect pastry. You will learn to make quiche with olive oil pastry, spanakopita (using ready-made filo pastry), mushroom & hazelnut tarts with walnut & oat pastry, beet bourgignon pot pie (using pre-made puff pastry) and apple pie.
Session 8 – Vegan sweets & desserts
We’ve created some decadent vegan desserts that do not compromise on flavour. In this cooking class, expect to make coconut vanilla ice cream, meringues, brownies and frozen coconut cheesecake, amongst other dishes.
We try to accommodate dietary requirements as best we can and do our best to provide alternatives where possible. However, some classes are simply not designed to accommodate special dietary requirements, for example, we can not make entire baking classes gluten free or make croissants without butter.
If you have any questions about what we can provide, please call us before making your booking on 0207 631 4590. Please put a note in the “dietary requirements” box at the checkout if you have any requirements or allergies at all, even if you do not think it it is relevent!
We do not have individual hobs for every person but rather a group of hobs at one end of the kitchen. In most classes you will be working in small groups to create the recipes. As a whole class you will make everything listed on the website but the only way we can cover the huge variety of dishes listed is by dividing the class into smaller groups. When there are key skills that need to be learned by the whole class, the teacher will pause the group and gather everyone together to explain/show it so by the end of the class everyone understands how each dish was made.
We are happy for anyone of any age to attend. If they are very young, an adult needs to work with them, in which case we would only charge for one space. We aren’t a creche service though so no dump-and-runs while you go shopping! Teenagers may like to join our Summer Cooking Camp where they will be with other kids the same age.
Sustainability has always been part of our ethos which is why we made the decision not to print recipes for students to take home with them, except when printed recipes are specifically requested. Instead, we email the recipes to students shortly after the class.
You may transfer to an alternative class if you give us notice not less than 21 days before the date of the class. In this case, we will rebook you on to your selected class or issue a voucher valid for one year from date of issue. Transfers or issuing of a voucher will be subject to an administration fee of £15. Confirmed bookings are not eligible for refunds or cancellations under any circumstances. If you cannot attend a class you may send someone else in your place, just let us know the name of the attendee in advance of the class, where possible.
At the end of most classes you will sit down around the Cookery School table and enjoy the food that you have made. Any food that is leftover from this is kept for staff lunches so nothing goes to waste
The exception to this is that you are welcome to take home the chicken that you de-bone in the meat & poultry class provided you bring a chiller bag with you and we provide you with a freezer block. Additionally, many of the items in our baking classes and courses are low risk and safe to take home so you will need a carrier bag of some sort.
We have very little waste as we order based on the number of people in the class. We generally do not allow people to take food home because we have found that many people come into central London, do a class at Cookery School and then go off to the theatre, cinema, clubbing or shopping. During that time the food that left Cookery School in good condition, deteriorates and can cause illness.
Absolutely! If you have been cooking a bit already at home then you are welcome to skip the Beginners course.
Our six week professional cooking course, Cook’s Certificate, is the only accredited course we run. You will receive a Cook’s Level 3 Training certificate from OCN London at the end of this course.
If you would like a certificate of attendance from any other class or course, we are happy to provide one. Just make a note of this in the ‘notes’ section at the checkout.
You do not need to bring anything with you to most classes. However, if you are taking the Ultimate Meat & Poultry Class you should bring a chiller bag for your de-boned chicken and for any baking class or course, please bring a carrier bag to take home some of the items you make.
Please make sure you are wearing closed toe shoes.
Not at all! The majority of our students come alone. We pride ourselves on having friendly staff and our kitchen is very un-intimidating and relaxed so you don’t need to feel scared of attending alone.
Induction hobs use electromagnetic technology which may interfere with cardiac pacemakers or electrical implants, such as insulin pumps. We use induction hobs in our kitchen so recommend that if you use a cardiac pacemaker or electrical implant you remain a safe distance from the hobs.
Upcoming Courses
- At Cookery School London
near Oxford Circus
