Orchards Cookery

Product Information

Orchards Cookery Book, folder containing a three week, five course menu plan, including vegetarian options and children’s meals, with time plans for cooking at altitude, conversion tables, napkin folding, Chalet Guide Book containing food translations for shopping in a foreign language (French and German), catering for special diets and food allergies, tips and guidelines to follow when running a chalet, a goodie bag and help with recruitment (CV writing, interview training, ski company presentations and interviews at the school).

Students take home their freshly baked cake or biscuits and a goodie bag including an Orchards Cookery book, apron, tea towel, mug and a pen.Henry’s Avalanche Talk. Henry is well known and experienced Mountain Safety expert in Val d’Isere and he has prepared a bespoke training video for Orchards students to introduce them to the real risks of skiing off piste and the dangers of avalanches. The courses are suitable for both beginners and experienced cooks who are after new ideas and for individuals or group bookings. Orchards Cookery has won a number of National Cookery School Awards (The British Cookery School Awards have not run since 2014) : Students can do the Level2 Award in Food Safety in Cateringwhile on the course (an optional extra on the two week course only) which is recommended to students who may want to earn money with their new skills. There is a MUGA (multi use games area) for students to play tennis, football, basketball, netball etc.

Students involved in the International Baccalaureate Diploma programme can do one of our five day courses to fulfil the creativity requirements of their CAS. Continental breakfast (for those staying at The Orchards), mid-morning tea, coffee and refreshments, four-five course lunch, afternoon tea and four-five course dinner with wine. It is intensive with over 100 different dishes covered on a five day course. The menus are chosen specifically so that we canteach as many different techniques on a courseas possible.We will give you the opportunity to start the season with the perfect routine. If you don’t have time to ski to your heart's content and make the most of the aprés ski, what is the point of putting up with the cold! Many ski companies look for chalet cooks with some formal training / qualifications in Food Safety / Hygiene (as do catering companies and agencies looking for cooks). Courses qualify forThe Residential Project of The Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (we are an Approved Activity Provider) Pudding : Coffee Profiteroles filled with Tia Maria Cream / Chocolate Eclairs filled with Ice Cream Britain's Favourite Cookery School (voted by the public) in the British Cookery School Awards (also finalists in Best English and Best Large Cookery School categories)

The course provides a life skill with immediate earning potential. Some students go on to cook in chalets, villas, hunting, shooting and fishing lodges and on yachts etc. Students learn a huge variety of dishes, including roast meals, curry, salads, soups, mince and all the meals you can make with it (spaghetti bolognaise, cottage pie, lasagne, chilli), cooked breakfasts, cakes and biscuits, ice creams and sorbets, meringues, sushi, quiches, dinner party foods, vegetarian options etc.In 2015 (after many years of working with planners and builders!) the farm courtyard was developed expanding the school further so forty-eight students could be trained in six separate kitchens. The addition of Hoppers Bar (including a dancefloor!) has been enormous fun for both staff and students so any additional calories consumed during the day can be shaken off on the dancefloor! We have a licenced bar and dancefloor in a beautifully converted barn for students to enjoy in the evenings.

Small class sizes of 8 students per kitchen with the fun of having up to 48 students staying at the school.

Students have full use of the grounds and facilities; gym, MUGA (muti-use games area) for tennis, football, basketball etc. grass badminton court, volleyball court rounders pitch (weather permitting), outdoor table tennis tables, indoor table football, pool table and a rather bumpy croquet lawn. The One Day Course starts at 9.30am with a brief introduction, followed by knife skills and then preparations for a five – six course lunch (sample menus below). The lunch party starts with a glass of bubbly and canapés, wine is served during lunch and the meal concludes with cheese and port followed by fresh coffee and petits fours. After lunch there is a tour of the kitchen garden, for those who are interested. During the afternoon students can bake cakes, biscuits etc. to take home. We aim to give our students the best training and qualifications to help them stand out when applying to ski companies (and for catering jobs) and we believe this additional relevant qualification will provide another valuable ‘feather in their cap.’ The course is designed so that we can train groups of mixed abilities, so they are suitable for complete beginners as well as more experienced cooks. Purpose built domestic style kitchens equipped with Miele appliances, rather than a stainless steel set up with commercial equipment.