Cooking with Victoria Heath
Cooking with Victoria Heath
at Le Petit Chateau
Autumn 2008 Cookery Courses
THURS 12th SEPT. to TUES 16th SEPT.
THURS 19th SEPT. to TUES 23rd SEPT.
THURS 10th OCT. to TUES 14th OCT.
THURS 16th OCT. to TUES 21st OCT.
At Le Petit Chateau we invite you into our home to relax and discover your confidence in the kitchen, with our contemporary cooking courses. Learn up to date techniques in an informal atmosphere with like minded cooking enthusiasts. Our classes are practical with no more than 8 students per class.
The approach is to teach modern cooking by combining new flavours and techniques, using the freshest local ingredients, with the expert guidance of our guest chef Victoria Heath. This 3 day course, with an optional additional 1 or 2 days, caters to all levels and no previous experience is necessary. Each day will be a balance of cooking, cultural excursions and relaxation.
During the course you will visit a local market, with our guest chef Victoria Heath, to shop for fresh ingredients, dine at Victoria’s restaurant and experience her style of cooking, visit a bakery or fromagerie and sample wines at a local cave, as well as cooking and relaxing in our elegant chateau.
An ideal weekend activity break for family, friends and colleagues alike, and a perfect gift idea by way of a 3, 4 or 5 day cookery course gift voucher.
For private parties of 8 (2 people sharing a room) we can offer alternative dates, to those specified, just contact us to discuss your requirements so we can customize a course to suit your groups demand.
Victoria Heath is a well known cookery consultant and teaches specialist cookery classes for small groups of students whose objectives are to learn contemporary cooking for our modern day life styles. Victoria has a wealth of experience. She trained at a French cookery school and worked in hotels and restaurants in America and Europe, she has also run a top London restaurant and food shop. In more recent years she has run cookery schools in London (Chelsea) and France (Provence) and has written food articles for Tesco Magazine, Men’s Health, Vogue, New Woman, the Telegraph and the Mail. She now lives in South West France and can be found most week days cooking at Le Monde a L’envers, a local restaurant in the lively town of Marciac that she runs with her business partner Anne Marie Aubert.
Cooking Course Itinerary
Thursday Day 1. Optional Arrival Day.
Depending on your time of arrival you will be served with Brunch or Afternoon Tea.
Afternoon - Free for you to settle in. For those of you who had an early start you may want to take an afternoon siesta, or you may wish to explore the local town of Marciac.
Evening - A chance to relax and meet your fellow class mates. A buffet supper will be served and we will run through the timetable for the next 3 to 4 days.
Friday Day 2. Optional Arrival Day.
8.30 – 9.00 Breakfast will be served.
Morning – We will visit a local market with guest chef Victoria Heath, there we will be shopping for ingredients for the classes you will be attending.
(For those of you who arrive today you will be served with Brunch or Afternoon Tea)
Afternoon - We will visit a place of interest, food and or wine related. This will be a bakery, fromagerie, wine or armagnac cave.
Evening - You will dine at Victoria Heath’s restaurant, Le Monde a L’envers. Experience the cooking style you will study during your cookery weekend.
With dinner there will be a wine appreciation class by Victoria’s business partner Anne Marie Aubert and the opportunity to sample wines that compliment the food.
Saturday Day 3.
8.30 – 9.00 Breakfast will be served.
Morning - Will be spent preparing and cooking today’s Lunch, followed by Lunch
Afternoon - Free time.
Evening - Light hearted supper quiz.
Sunday Day 4.
10.30 – 11.00 Brunch will be served.
Morning - Free time.
Afternoon - Creative Table Dressing, exchange ideas with your fellow guests.
Evening – Champagne and canapés followed by Dinner.
Monday Day 5. Optional Departure Day.
8.30 – 9.00 Breakfast will be served.
Morning - Master Class. The opportunity for you to tackle and master specific skills and techniques so you can cook and present like a professional. Let Victoria solve your kitchen nightmares with some hands on help. (For those with a late departure, the Master Class and Lunch are available for an additional charge)
Lunch - At a local restaurant.
Afternoon – Visit a place of interest food/wine related. This will be a bakery, fromagerie, or wine cave.
Evening – Supper and DVD footage of our favourite chefs.
Tuesday Day 6. Departure before midday.
Breakfast will be served.
The itinerary may be subject to change depending on demand and local availability.
Autumn Sample Menu
Soups
Garbure – traditional soup of South West France, with Toulouse sausauge, duck confit and haricots blancs.
Bouilliabaisse of salt cod a la provencal.
Celeriac soup with pancetta, bay, juniper berries and chestnuts.
Freshly baked foccaccia with semolina flour, olive oil, rosemary and sea salt.
Starters
Bruschetta with haricots blancs, garlic and sage
Grilled polenta with slow baked cherry tomatoes in oregano and wilted autumn greens
Warm salad of brick roasted root vegetables with balsamic vinegar and buffalo mozzarella
Butternut squash risotto with mascarpone and fresh marjoram
Fresh Foie gras cooked pink, with red onion confit and Bordeaux vinegar.
Main Courses
Oven roasted fish and shellfish stew with chilli and coriander.
Farm fattened pigeon with Italian sausage and sweet red wine.
Loin of pork slow cooked in milk with lemon, sage and garlic.
Tagine of lamb with Moroccan spices, chickpeas and dried apricots.
Guinea fowl stuffed with ricotta, Rosemary, and baked in pancetta and Pacherenc.
Magret de canard (local fat ducks breast) with soy, lime garlic and ginger sauce.
Gratin of potatoes with cepes and thyme
Desserts
Almond, lemon and ricotta cake with poached figs.
Damson and Armagnac ice cream.
Pannetone bread and butter pudding with fresh vanilla.
Bitter chocolate tart.
Tarte tatin.
Package Prices
3 Day Package. Days 2/3/4
Superior Room for 2 sharing 600 euros per person
Standard Room for 2 sharing 570 euros per person
Superior Room single occupancy 720 euros per person
Standard Room single occupancy 660 euros per person
4 Day Package. Days 1/2/3/4
Superior Room for 2 sharing 710 euros per person
Standard Room for 2 sharing 670 euros per person
Superior Room single occupancy 870 euros per person
Standard Room single occupancy 790 euros per person
4 Day Package. Days 2/3/4/5
Superior Room for 2 sharing 830 euros per person
Standard Room for 2 sharing 790 euros per person
Superior Room single occupancy 990 euros per person
Standard Room single occupancy 910 euros per person
5 Day Package. Days 1/2/3/4/5
Superior Room for 2 sharing 915 euros per person
Standard Room for 2 sharing 870 euros per person
Superior Room single occupancy 1115 euros per person
Standard Room single occupancy 1020 euros per person
Supplementary Charge
For those with a late departure on 155 euros per person day five, wishing to attend the Master Class and Lunch
WHATS INCLUDED:
Accommodation including breakfast
All class fees, ingredients and equipment
All meals, with wine, listed on the itinerary
Dinner and wine appreciation at Le Monde a L’envers restaurant
All trips
The rates include use of all communal rooms, private grounds, swimming pool and terrace.
A deposit of 25% is required to secure your booking. The balance to be paid 4 weeks prior to the course start date. Amounts paid are non refundable in the event of cancellations less than 4 weeks prior to course start date.
Payment by Credit Card is only accepted in euros.
Gift Vouchers available
For supplementary charge, airport collection can be provided.
