The British Cookery School Awards 2012
Last night, at a ceremony in London, cookery students from the Isle of Wight celebrated with some of the most famous names in gastronomy and won the Best Specialist Cookery School Award.
With more than 250 cookery schools now operating in the UK, The British Cookery School Awards – headline sponsored by Kenwood – were set up this year to honour all those excellent cookery schools that go above and beyond to deliver a first class cookery school experience. The awards aim to celebrate the important role that cookery schools play in driving Britain’s passion for cooking good, homemade food.
As Island Pulse mentioned earlier, The Cookery School was shortlisted for the Award read more here…
Established in 2010, the Cookery School at the Isle of Wight College was created partially through the local authority’s Local Area Agreement programme, and is unique on the Isle of Wight.
It provides individual cooking stations for 12 people, included specially adapted cookers for those with disabilities. Courses have included an extensive marine cookery programme in partnership with UKSA, Young Cooks courses for children, the Equals Ladies Friendship Group and groups with specialist needs.
Top Cookery Accolade & Winners
Richard Hughes Cookery School scooped the top accolade at the inaugural British Cookery School Awards last night (Tuesday 13 November).
The Norwich-based cookery school which evolved from Richard Hughes’ The Lavender Restaurant 16 years ago, also walked away with the Best Small Cookery School gong. The event took place at the Vintners’ Company in the heart of the City of London, hosted by BBC Radio 2’s food and drink presenter Nigel Barden.
Cookery school professionals from across the country turned out to see Ashburton Cookery School collect its trophies for Best Large Cookery School and Best English Cookery School, while Richard Hughes Cookery School accepted his accolade for Best Small Cookery School.
Newlyns Cookery School in Hampshire scooped Best Use of Local Ingredients. Essex-based Cookies Cooking School which works closely with special needs and vulnerable children and adults won the Best Community Engagement honour.
Edinburgh New Town Cookery School was awarded Best Scottish Cookery School, The Chef’s Room Fish and Cookery School Best Welsh Cookery School and Best Northern Ireland Cookery School went to Belle Isle Cookery School.
While the core 13 categories of the British Cookery School Awards were voted for by the judging panel – Nigel Barden, Michelin-star chef Martin Blunos, the Centre of Hospitality and Retailing at Leeds Metropolitan University and Kenwood’s development chef Martin Johns – the British public were asked to nominate their favourite cookery school. The title of People’s Choice: Britain’s Favourite Cookery School went to Orchards Cookery in Worcestershire.
Head judge Nigel Barden, said: “It has been a joy to be involved with the inaugural British Cookery School Awards, as the number and quality of entries has been high and the different styles of school reflect the ethnically diverse make up of modern Britain. Also, the involvement in community has ensured that many establishments have a major effect on local academic schools and in conjunction with community centres, have also introduced many children and their parents to cooking. These are life enhancing skills that build bonds within families.”
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