Culinary adventure

This culinary adventure begins on the Friday early evening with champagne followed by a six-course gourmet dinner where you will have the opportunity to get to know your fellow guest/participants and sample the style of food you will be learning to cook for the rest of the course.

The rest of the week comprises of;

Saturday morning we will go shopping in the beautiful market in Laval.

We will spend the morning like the locals, exploring all the fresh seasonal specialties the market has to offer. Immerse yourself in full French culture with a Market Tour.

After lunch it will be hands-on in the kitchen, preparing dinner.

Sunday and Monday it will be in the kitchen with a mix of hands-on and demonstrations.

Tuesday morning is again hands-on until lunchtime.

In the afternoon we will go to visit the thousand year old medieval town Vitré (or Fougères for returning customers), historical places with beautiful chateau and cobbled street, time to relax and do some (more) shopping,

Then it is back in the kitchen for the finishing touches of cooking and presenting dinner.

Wednesday is the last day in the kitchen and it will be hands-on again creating dinner.

Thursday we will prepare a late breakfast/ brunch, get some energy before setting off to The Mont Saint Michel.

Exploring this amazing historical and spiritual place will take us few hours.

It is a climb to get to the Abbey (about 350 steps), but well worth it.

After this busy afternoon we will come back to enjoy our well deserved dinner. Time to unwind with a glass of wine after a very busy week.

Day 1 - Friday

Arrival in the afternoon

17.00 – Introductory talk with complimentary champagne and canapés,

Discussing aims and course structure

18.00 – Dinner 6-course gourmet dinner

Day 2 - Saturday

8.45 – Breakfast (to include fresh croissants, breads and preserves, orange juice, local apple juice, yogurts, tea and coffee.)

9.15 Off to Laval’s market for shopping and sightseeing.

13.00 Returning to The Walnut Grove, we will break for lunch and feast on our treasures.

14.00 – Kitchen –

We will begin the course and our journey in the kitchen with hands on experience and demonstrations preparing for dinner.

Welcome, explore kitchen/equipment etc…Refresher basic knife skills; care of knives, safety,

sharpening, chop and slice onion, carrot…

Demonstration/hands-on:

Goat cheese panacotta, granny smith emulsion. Sorbet

Preparing monkfish, matelote sauce, vegetables.

Orange marmelade pim’s, lemon verbena sorbet and Grand Marnier soufflé mise en place.

16.30 – Finish

17.00 – Aperitifs and nibbles

17.30 – Back in the kitchen to finish prep

18.00 – Dinner

Day 3 - Sunday

8.45 – Breakfast

9.15 – Menu Explanation

Kitchen: Demonstration/hands-on:

Veal and chicken stock (for jelly), chicken stock for consommé (Wednesday), Lobster bisque

Langoustine tartar, Carrot bavarois and Campari espuma, Savoury pastry

10.45 – Demonstration/hands-on:

Deboning quail, chicken mousseline, stuffed quail.

braised chestnut, port and juniper reduction, Caramelised apple. Quiche.

13.00 – Lunch, home-made quiche Lorraine, fresh salad from the garden (or market), Cheese and chutney

14.00 – Demonstration/hands-on: Beef bourguignon, White chocolate (sphère), passion fruit cream

16.30 – Finish

17.00- Aperitifs and nibbles

17.30 – Back in the kitchen to finish prep

18.00 – Dinner

Day 4 - Monday

8.45 – Breakfast

9.15 – Menu Explanation

Kitchen: Demonstration/hands-on:

Foie gras crème brulée, chicken jelly, smoked onion, gratin dauphinois.

Chocolate pastry dough

7h braised lamb shoulder (Wednesday)

13.00 – Lunch; Vegetable soup from the garden, cheese and fresh bread

14.00 – Demonstration/hands-on:

Truffle foam, smoked onion tartelette.

Coffee ganache, chocolate ganache, chocolate caviar, chocolate decor.

16.30 – Finish

17.00 – Aperitifs and nibbles

17.30 – Back in the kitchen to finish prep

18.00 – Dinner

Day 5 - Tuesday

8.45 – Breakfast

9.15 – Menu Explanation

Kitchen: Demonstration/hands-on:

Clarifying stock, Julienne and poached eggs. Sweet pastry, poached pear, almond cream and tonka bean ice cream.

Fig leaves milk, seabass prep, vegetable and coffee jus. (Coco beans to soak)

12.00 – Lunch; Cold meat, charcuterie and salad from the garden, fresh bread.

13.00 – Off to visit Vitré, medieval town, chateau and shopping

17.00 – Back for Aperitifs and nibbles

17.30- In the kitchen to finish prep

18.00 – Dinner

Day 6 - Wednesday

8.45 – Breakfast

9.15 – Menu Explanation

Kitchen: Demonstration/hands-on: Chicken, tomato, smoked bacon consommé. Coco beans,

braised lamb to finish with sauce.

Pastry tart, Puff pastry, Biscuit Joconde (Opéra)

Croque monsieur

13.00 – Lunch; Croque Monsieur/ Madame and salad, fruit salad

14.00 – Demonstration/hands-on: Tarte Tatin, Opéra, Veal Blanquette

16.30 – Finish

17.00 – Aperitifs and nibbles

17.30- Back in the kitchen to finish prep

18.00 – Dinner

Day 7 - Thursday

9h30 – Brunch Demonstration/hands-on:

Eggs Benedict

Poached egg, smoked salmon, bacon,

hollandaise sauce

Ham and cheese, fresh bread, orange and apple juice,

yogurt, tea and coffee.

11.00 We’re off to visit to The Mont Saint michel

Back at 18.00 for Aperitifs and nibbles

18.30 Back in the kitchen to finish prep

19.00 – Dinner

Day 8 - Friday

9.00 – Breakfast

Departure before 10.00

Prices - Culinary adventure

– Euros € 2795.00 per person, shared ensuite bedroom with twin beds or double bed.

– Euros € 1595.00 non-cooking friend or partner

– Euros € 395.00 single room supplement

WHAT'S INCLUDED

– Champagne on arrival

– 7 nights ensuite accommodation

– All food including 6 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 7 dinners, 1 brunch

– Soft drinks all day

– All tuition with a professional French chef

– All equipment needed

– Excursion to Laval’s market, shopping

– Excursion to Vitré, medieval town, chateau, shopping
– Excursion to The Mont Saint Michel

– Transport from Laval train station at scheduled times

– Molton Brown toiletries

– Menu and recipe folder to take home

– Course certificate

– Free Wifi

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED

– Travel

– Entrance fee to Vitré’s Chateau museum (€6 Euros)

– Entrance fee to The Abbey at The Mont Saint Michel ( €11 Euros)

– Laundry (€25 Euros)

– Wine and alcoholic beverages

Wine and other alcoholic beverages can be purchased from our bar