Course Categories

Food

New for 2010 is an exciting range of Food courses, lectures, demonstrations and feasting!

Building on West Dean's garden courses which features courses on growing your own food, here you can learn about preparing, storing and eating!

Click on the purple subcategories on the left to find out more and to book.

The courses and events have been programmed by Rosemary Moon who will also being demonstrating at some of the sessions. A trained home economist, she is a champion of local food and eco-gastronomy, a much published author and is a regular demonstrator at West Dean events.In the first season, guest experts include:

Mary Berry trained as a home economist and then at the Paris Cordon Bleu. She became a trusted cookery writer to millions during her time at Family Circle magazine and has sold more than 5 million copies of her 60+ cookery books. She received the Guild of Food Writers Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009.

Giles Thompson trained as a chef under Michel Bourdin at the Connaught, and was latterly Executive Chef at The Ritz. Before moving to Chichester he was Head of School at Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Academy in Marylebone, teaching the disciplines of French regional and classical cookery. He now runs restaurants at the Earl of March and The Partridge, near West Dean.

Nik Westacott, chef and Chichester’s wild man of food, has shared his passion for mycology with some of the Mushroom Greats, including Roger Philips. A confident and knowledgeable wild food guide who combines foraging advice with cooking ideas from his many years as chef-patron of Platters restaurant and more recently, of 82 Fishbourne.

Later in the year and in 2011, visiting speakers and tutors are:

Glynn Christian founded the eponymous ‘Mr Christian’ deli in London and has long been a passionate trailblazer for all manner of ingredients we now take for granted. He has lots of TV experience and writes, including Real Flavours and How to Cook Without Recipes.

Sarah Jane Evans is a Founder Member of The Academy of Chocolate, an accomplished food writer and a Master of Wine. She is interested in the similarities between the production of fine chocolate and fine wine, and in the language used to communicate taste, flavour and texture accurately.

Bruce Ginsberg, a specialist tea importer and blender, owns and runs Dragonfly Tea with his wife Kaz, a business founded by his grandfather. He is also an independent scholar of East Asian culture specialising in all things Chinese and Japanese of the C17th and C18th.

Graham Harvey is Agricultural Story Editor for The Archers, with extensive and broad ranging knowledge of farming issues. He is also author of numerous books and an acclaimed speaker on farming issues.

Joy Larkcom has been described as ‘an original hunter-gatherer’ having travelled widely to discover what people eat in far-distant countries – and whether we can grow it here. Her name is synonymous with oriental vegetables and salad crops. This is an all-too-rare occasion to meet and learn from Joy’s 40 years of growing experience.

Rupert Ponsonby writes regularly on beer in magazines and has many TV and radio appearances to his credit. He has consulted the beers lists for many Michelin-star restaurants including Michel Roux’s Le Gavroche** and Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons**.

Lesley Woods has a BA in Hospitality from the Scottish Hotel School. She has worked in the industry and education for over 30 years and also runs her own catering business.

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