FEATURE: TOURISM & HOSPITALITY
Sustainable cooking school serves up food for thought
Introducing Ground Up Cookery School, the stunning, purpose- built cookery school which opened to the public in April 2019. The school offers a range of
courses and events focusing primarily on sustainable, foraged and local ingredients. The views from the cookery school are outstanding as it is situated on a beautiful organic farm on the northern edge of Dartmoor National Park. The site is shared with the family-friendly cafe Drakes Farm and Oinkers farm shop. Colin and Tasha, the husband
and wife team who own the school, are passionate about food and seasonality. Sustainability and provenance are key drivers for the school as they believe it is increasingly important to know what you are eating and where it has come from. Equally important is to champion local producers in a unique corner of the Westcountry. Colin is an experienced chef and
has been training and mentoring for over 25 years. In a career spanning the Royal Navy, luxury yachts, Caribbean hotels and contract catering, Colin has amassed a wealth of knowledge and techniques and he has a natural ability to share his knowledge and passion in a fun and informative way.
Shortly after opening, Ground Up
Cookery School was asked to run a corporate event for 30 people, which was swiftly followed by a booking for a smaller team of 14. The school has now run several very successful team days tailored perfectly to the needs of the client. These have ranged from a fun day out foraging to a full-day training session for a group of chef instructors on current trends, such as fermentation and curing. The location is one of the
school’s biggest assets. Within 100 yards of the door there are dozens of edible species. The foraging tour can conveniently end at one of the most beautiful pubs in the UK, in the village of Drewsteignton. For those interested in the
renewed art of fermentation, Colin is always happy to run educational tasting sessions where he will present a wide range of ferments. Past Christmas events have included the making of a chocolate and cardamom Christmas pudding, which guests can take home to share with their families. Activities such as clay pigeon shooting can be arranged on site for those looking for more active outdoor challenges to compliment the day. Experiences at Ground Up
Cookery School often involve an
element of competition, whether it is an omelette challenge or a fun test of the information retained during the day - with forfeits for the losers. This helps to spice things up and guarantee good engagement and concentration levels. For a more relaxed event, a
tasting of Colin’s spirits infused with wild ingredients, produced under the name of Heath & Hedgem, can be arranged. Current flavours include gorse flower white rum and honey and quince vodka. Lunch is always a highlight of the
day, with a range of buffet style dishes containing an element of wild and local ingredients. The school is fully
licensed and can provide its own produce or arrange for a selection of drinks to be available. Bespoke days are not limited to
corporate functions. They are equally well suited to
those preferring an alternative hen or stag do, reunions of old friends and family or birthday party with a difference. Up to 30 people can be seated
and menus can be created to cater for all budgets.
Visit:
www.groundupcookeryschool.co.uk Follow on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @GroundUpCookery to see daily posts ranging from foraging to chef tips
‘Sustainability and provenance
are key drivers for the school’
30 Chamber Profile Spring 2020
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