Back to school

Yesterday was a bittersweet day. It saw the culmination of four weeks of what turned out to be one of the best months of my life. Sounds dramatic doesn’t it? But really, it’s quite true. 

Yesterday saw the last day of ‘service’ at Leiths School of Food and Wine. I have been donning my chef’s whites daily for their professional course in essential cookery, an intense month learning the building blocks of kitchen management, menu planning, budgeting, presentation and perfecting the classics, opening the door to hundreds of new recipes. 

From lecture room demos, to tastings (yeah, enjoyed that bit), to wine pairing knowledge, to hours over the hot stoves, it really was an all-encompassing syllabus. A highlight for me was an afternoon focused on buffet cooking, all themed around Middle-Eastern offerings - all very apt for me given my current location in Saudi Arabia. On offer was sumac-crusted chicken, a savoury spiced strudel, chickpea flatbreads and the most wonderful pistachio cake. I recreated the above for a family dinner and I’m please to confirm it received the Hedley approval - pistachio cake recipe to follow shortly. 

Every afternoon, and all of the last week, was hands-on in the kitchens. We tackled everything from enriched doughs to fish filleting, from panna cotta to butchery. It appears I have a natural knack for butchery and I can prep a rack of lamb along with the best of them - who knew! Each day was designed to develop and eventually test particular skills. Every session we were given a service time and worked to present our offering for scrutiny and marking. Paul and Mary step aside - you’ve got nothing on the Leiths teachers. Those nervous moments as the first forkful was taken and then what seemed like an eternity before the verdict was given. But it drives you to strive for improvement and ultimately perfection in what you are producing, whether that be a humble omelette or complex dish. 

There are war wounds of course. As I type I’m nursing a rather painful burn earned in pursuit of the perfect raisin and lemon scones. And I’m pleased to say it proved worth it when one of the guests at our final event sought me out to thank me for bringing those scones into her day. And that right there is what I love about cooking - bringing just a bit of delight into someone’s day with my food. 

And I got so much more out of the Leiths’ experience than just an improvement in my skills. I met some wonderful, like-minded friends who also want to talk about food all the time - no glazing over after ten minutes. And they are inspiring entrepreneurs, grasping life by the scruff of the neck and taking brave steps to venture into their own businesses, following their true passion. Future collaborations are planned and there big things ahead.

So, thank you Leiths. A fantastic, enriching experience in a collegiate and professional environment. And end with a phrase used by one of our teachers: ‘once Leiths, always Leiths’.