Waitrose opens cookery school

by telegraph.co.uk - 14/07/2010

"Waitrose has become the first British supermarket to set up its own cookery school."

The supermarket chain will unveil a state of the art cookery school in London this autumn in a bid to inspire people who care about good food to experiment with new recipes and ingredients.

It will be the first UK supermarket to own and operate a cookery school. The school will create 16 new jobs in the capital, including highly-skilled chefs to deliver expertise and theatre.

America's most pernicious export - the promThe store chain which has recruited Delia Smith and Heston Blumenthal to front its most recent advertising campaign will offer consumers a choice of cookery classes in particular cuisines and skills-based sessions such as butchery and baking.

Located above the retailer's Finchley Road branch in north London the school is set to open its doors in mid October 2010. The 4,600ft cookery school comprises a theatre, teaching area, dining area, bar and kitchen.

Waitrose executive chef Neil Nugent said: "We want to inspire the nation to move from just watching cookery programmes to actually cooking and experimenting with new ingredients."

The store chain's marketing director, Rupert Thomas, said that across its business Waitrose had enormous expertise, which it could share to offer the very best lessons.

"Our position as a supermarket gives us a unique understanding of the part food plays in people's everyday lives and special occasions. We want our customers to leave the school feeling it has made life richer, inspired them into the kitchen and been fun " he said.

"The school also provides an opportunity for us to forge even stronger relationships with its customers and gain a better understanding of what shoppers are looking for from a modern supermarket."

More Details: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/7888881/Waitrose-opens-cookery-school.html