EVENTS: Fermentation & the gourmet gut
Ferments are the subject in the next in our series Conversations Around The Cookery School Table. Our event on 31st March 2025 is part of an insightful series of monthly panel events on food around topics that are close to our hearts at Cookery School.
The events offer opportunities for lively discussions, networking with like-minded food lovers, and, of course, the opportunity to taste some delicious Cookery School food.
We will be discussing the history of ferments and their culinary uses alongside health in our evening of fermentation at Conversations Around the Cookery School Table on Monday 31st March.
Meet the fermentation fanatics! On the panel is Dr Johnny Drain – a chef with a PhD on a mission to unlock the secret science of flavour, fermentation and sustainability, Chantelle Nicholson, chef and owner of Green Michelin Starred restaurant, Apricity in London, Ryan Walker, head of fermentation at London’s leading zero-waste restaurant, Silo, Chetanya Alexander – founder of naturally fermented Tickles Pickles , James Kinross Associate Professor of Surgery at Imperial College London and author of Dark Matter: The new science of the microbiome and Dan Lepard Australian baker, food writer and sourdough expert.
From kimchi, kefir and kombucha, Middle Eastern and Asian pickles, to buttermilk and sourdough, fermented foods – some of which are literally ancient, are having their moment, playing a part in our diets, cooking culture and maintaining a healthy gut.
With kombucha, organic red wine and fantastic fermented nibbles to match, it promises to be an eye opening evening of science and culture.
Meet our Fermentation panellists
Chantelle Nicholson is a multi-award winning chef owner of Apricity, London, a Green Michelin Starred restaurant that celebrates conscious cooking and joyful dining. Chantelle is an advocate for seasonality and sustainability, championing veg-forward cooking and being committed to creating a more sustainable future across her operation and activities, whilst also being an independent board member for ReLondon and a Food Council member for City Harvest. Her exciting new venture, The Cordia Collective, will open in West Sussex in 2025.
Dr Johnny has spent the past decade being the secret weapon of many of the world’s Michelin-starred and 50Best restaurants and bars. He is a fermenter, cook and scientist who has pioneered the use of fermentation to turn food waste and by-products into delicious things to eat and drink.
His clients and collaborators have included Noma’s Nordic Food Lab, Mirazur, The Waterside Inn, Dandelyan, Lyaness, and even Prada. He was the director of fermentation for zero-waste chef Douglas McMaster’s London restaurant, Silo.
He also co-founded food tech company Win-Win, who brought the world’s first cocoa-free chocolate to market, and MOLD Magazine.
Chetanya Alexander, founder of tickles pickles, grew up in the 1970s, hiding under the tables of Cabbages & Kings and Open Sesame, her parents’ beloved vegetarian restaurants in Johannesburg. Her father was the head chef and, as an Ashkenazi, was influenced by a rich tradition of fermentation. He always had a few jars of pickles, a batch of miso, and a foraged ferment on the go. In the early 2000s, she discovered kimchi and was hooked, making batches for friends before launching tickles pickles in 2015. Wanting to pay homage and deepen her skills, she travelled to Korea to learn from Jeong Kwan Seunim at the Chunjinam Hermitage. tickles pickles became the first kimchi on UK shelves outside of Asian stores, continuing her family tradition and embracing fermentation practices from around the world.
Ryan Walker is the head of fermentation and research & development at Silo, a groundbreaking zero-waste restaurant in London. Recognized for his deep expertise in fermentation and food science, Walker is central to the restaurant’s sustainability efforts. His innovative approach transforms surplus and pre-waste food into high-value, flavorful products, contributing to both the reduction of food waste and the enhancement of culinary offerings.
Walker has been pivotal in expanding Silo’s fermentation operations, leading to the establishment of a dedicated Fermentation Factory. This facility not only processes food waste on a commercial scale but also serves as a hub for sustainable food and agricultural innovation, functioning as a think tank for new ideas in the zero-waste movement.His work embodies the intersection of culinary creativity, food science, and environmental responsibility, positioning him as a leading figure in the global zero-waste movement.
James Kinross is an Associate Professor of Surgery at Imperial College London, and he is head of colorectal surgery at Imperial NHS trust. He is also a visiting Professor at the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland. He was an NIHR Clinical Lecturer in Surgery and an Ethicon Laparoscopic Fellow in Colorectal Surgery.
He was awarded a Royal College of Surgeons of England training fellowship during his PhD on the gut microbiome and he was funded by the Academy of Medical Sciences as an early stage lecturer. His research group studies how the gut microbiome causes chronic diseases of the gut such as cancer, and how gut bacteria may be engineered to treat cancer. James is currently supervising 7 PhD candidates, and he has published over 200 peer reviewed papers, and he regularly presents his work internationally.
He has worked in broadcasting (BBC 1: The truth about takeaways, and Trust me I am a doctor) and writes for media outlets on many different clinical topics in healthcare. His first book Dark Matter: The new science of the microbiome was published by Penguin in 2023.
Dan Lepard is one of the world’s most respected authorities on baking who champions old recipes and techniques using the best produce from British artisan millers. We are fortunate enough to have him teach our sourdough classes here at Cookery School. Aside from teaching, Dan is also an award-winning food writer and photographer and was a judge on The Great Australian Bake Off, series 1.
Having opened bakeries for London chefs including Fergus Henderson and Giorgio Locatelli, Dan is an expert in sourdough and has more recently been experimenting with Japanese fermented yeast, looking at the impact it has on bread making
Agenda
6pm – 6.45pm: Enjoy welcome drinks, networking & canapes
6.45pm – 8pm: Panel Discussion with a Q&A
8pm – 8.30pm: Drinks & networking
This fermentation & gourmet gut food talk & event will cover topics including:
* How fermentation plays a part in the food created by the panellists
* How fermentation acts to preserve and add flavour to dishes across different cultures
* Essential and critical things to know about making your own ferments
* What are garums and how are they currently being used in the culinary world
* Plus, hear from all the panellists about their favourite ferments
How to book:
Places are limited, so book now to make sure you don’t miss out on this fascinating fermentation event.
Category
Events
