Cookery School

Have you ever wondered why the cakes and pastries always look so tempting and appealing in the baker's window or the sweet trolley in your favourite classy restaurant?

The Superchef Secret is mirrors. If you pop into your local supermarket and buy a box of fancy cakes for tea, once you've opened the packet and plonked them on a plate they never quite resemble the pretty picture on the front of the box. However, if you dig out that old mirror you put in the back of the garage because it didn't match your new colour scheme, give it a good clean with some antibacterial spray and then arrange your cakes and pastries on the top, suddenly you've promoted your French fancies and mini éclairs into top chef style petit fours.

Nigel Brown's Top Tip Is Mirrors

The same principle applies to all kinds of other dishes too. Cold meats look fantastic fanned out over the mirror with some cherry tomato and parsley garnishing, samosas look like they've doubled in quantity and a large creamy gateau wouldn't look out of place during afternoon tea at The Ritz.

For a truly spectacular dish, why not try using a fairly large mirror with a whole poached salmon, skinned and garnished with lemon and cucumber laid on a bed of blue-tinted aspic jelly. This makes a fantastic centre piece to your table and will have your guests gasping in admiration at your skill and talent.

For more information about Nigel and his cookery academy check out
www.nigelbrownchef.co.uk

New Courses Just Released For July to October (or visit www.nigelbrownchef.co.uk)

Speciality Breads and Bun Dough's
1 Day Course £150.00
An absolute must for bread lovers.
From Croissants, Chelsea buns, Brioche and Soda breads to rustic farmhouse loaves and hot cross buns galore, you definitely won't be going home empty handed with this course!

Fish and Shellfish Extravaganza
1 Day Course £175.00
For Seafood lovers everywhere this course covers
dressing fresh crabs, filleting round and flat fish, preparing fish stocks and classic fish based sauces, Moules mariniere and preparing your own lobster plus lots more. Your landing net will be full with this course!

Sugarworks in Pastillage
1 Day Course £150.00
This course is specifically designed for those with an artistic and decorative flair. During this course we show you the basic rules of sugar work. From there, your imagination can take over creating some sugar work Petit Four boxes and display centre pieces to really impress your family and friends

Chocolate, Chocolate "n" More Chocolate
1 Day course £150.00
Treat yourself to a day of chocolate heaven. During this course we show you the classic chocolate desserts from sticky chocolate pudding, chocolate crème brulee, chocolate champagne truffles and we end the day with some spectacular caramel creations.

Residential Masterclass Course
2 Day course £495.00
This two day course has been designed for the real kitchen enthusiast. Love hosting dinner parties? This is the course for you, we cover everything you need to know from dining room presentations, canapés to petit fours, a complete dinner party menu all delivered to you in a relaxed and entertaining way

Develop Your Own Signature Fish Dish
Half Day Course £75.00
During this course we cover filleting round and flat fish,
preparing fish stocks and classic fish based sauces. You can even develop your very own signature dish to take home with you

Traditional Italian Pasta, Pasta & More Pasta
Half Day Course £75.00
Treat yourself to an Italian day of making your very own pasta dishes. During this course we show you the basic rules of pasta making from spaghetti, lasagne, ravioli, tagliatelli and more. Make your own flavoured ciabatta rolls too to complete the day

Hand Raised Pies, Pates and Terrines
1 Day Course £175.00
This course is designed for the serious Pies, Pate's and Terrines enthusiast.
From hot water paste preparations, various pate's and terrines you will experience a whole host of Hors D'oeuves to cook and taste.
You will also have prepared a selection of Hors D'oeuvre's and a terrine to take home with you.

Meat, Poultry & Game Galore
1 Day Course £175.00
This course is designed for the serious entrée Connoisseur.
From French trimming, fur and feather preparations and various cuts of meats you will experience a whole host of savoury dishes to cook and taste.
You will also have prepared your evening meal to take home with you.

Course Times
Half Day courses start at 9.30 and finish 12.30pm
1 Day courses start at 10.00 and finish 3.30pm
2 Day courses include hotel accommodation, evening dinner on day 1 and breakfast on day 2
Day1 1.30pm and Return to hotel 5.30pm
Day 2 starts 10.30 and finish 3.30pm
(A shuttle transport service will be provided between the hotel and the academy on day 1 of the course)

All courses have a minimum attendance number of 4 and include academy apron, recipe booklet, certificate, refreshments and lunch.

Speciality Breads and Bun Dough's
1 Day course £150.00
May 15th FULL
14th June
16th July
14th August
18th September
16th October

Fish and Shellfish Extravaganza1 Day course £175.00
May 17th FULL
16th June
31st July
19th August
17th September
22nd October

Sugarworks in Pastillage
1 Day course £150.00
9th June
18th July
11th August
12th September
8th October

Chocolate, Chocolate "n" more Chocolate
1 Day course £150.00
11th June
17th July
8th August
11th September
7th October

Residential Masterclass Course2 Day course £495.00
June 6th & 7th
19th/20th July
16th/17th August
13th/14th September
18th/19th October

Develop Your Own Signature Fish DishHalf Day Course £75.00
May 23rd FULL
25th June
29th July
22nd August
23rd September
29th October

Traditional Italian Pasta, Pasta & More PastaHalf Day Cpurse £75.00
4th June
1st July
1st August
4th September
1st October

Hand Raised Pies, Pates and Terrines1 Day course £175.00
May 22nd FULL
20th June
25th July
27th August
24th September
21st October

Meat, Poultry & Game Galore
1 Day course £175.00
May 24th FULL
26th June
30th July
26th August
25th September
24th October

"It's a pleasure to watch Nigel on stage or in the kitchen, he has a natural ability to entertain an audience with his fantastic skill and gentle manner and we enjoy working with him as one of our select guest chefs at the Novelli Academy. I don't just admire him as a chef but also as a person and both I and the rest of the Academy team are happy to support him in his new venture."

Jean-Christophe Novelli
The Novelli Academy