Orchards Cookery

Product Information

Students learn a huge variety of dishes, including roast meals, curry, salads, soups, mince and all the meals you can make with it (spaghetti bolognaise, cottage pie, lasagne, chilli), cooked breakfasts, cakes and biscuits, ice creams and sorbets, meringues, sushi, quiches, dinner party foods, vegetarian options etc.

Courses qualify forThe Residential Project of The Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (we are an Approved Activity Provider) Orchards Cookery Book containing foolproof recipes, eighteen menu plans of five course dinner parties with suggested wines. Napkin folding, guidelines for menu planning, conversion tables, short cuts and tips of the trade and a small goodie bag. The extensive kitchen garden where we grow our own herbs, fruit and vegetables. Most other ingredients are sourced from local suppliers. Students are taken on a tour of the kitchen garden to see how some of the produce they use during their course is grown and harvested. Courses are designed so that we can train groups of mixed abilities, making all courses suitable for both complete beginners and more experienced cooks. There is a MUGA (multi use games area) for students to play tennis, football, basketball, netball etc.Students have full use of the grounds and facilities; gym, MUGA (muti-use games area) for tennis, football, basketball etc. grass badminton court, volleyball court rounders pitch (weather permitting), outdoor table tennis tables, indoor table football, pool table and a rather bumpy croquet lawn. Designed specifically for ski season Chalet Cooks (although the course is a good all-round course for those who want to learn to cook), the course will boost your confidence, develop your culinary skills and knowledge of cooking and give you the ability and inspiration to create your own masterpieces in the kitchen. The course is delivered during the chalet cooks course by our Tutors and is overseen by an independent Chartered Environmental Health Practitioner who runs an accredited training centre meeting strict teaching standards required by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health. On the Wednesday afternoon of the second week of the course (during a break from cooking) students will have a training / revision session with the independent Environmental Health Officer, and will then sit a short multiple choice paper. Upon successful completion students are issued with a Chartered Institute of Environmental Health Award. The Two Day Course in an intensive course andstarts at 9.30am with a short introduction, followed by knife skills and then preparations for a three-four course lunch (sample menus below). After lunch break there is an opportunity to bake cakes for afternoon tea together with preparing food for the dinner party in the evening. The six course meal starts with a glass of bubbly and canapés and concludes with cheese and port, followed by fresh coffee and petits fours.

The One Day Course starts at 9.30am with a brief introduction, followed by knife skills and then preparations for a five – six course lunch (sample menus below). The lunch party starts with a glass of bubbly and canapés, wine is served during lunch and the meal concludes with cheese and port followed by fresh coffee and petits fours. After lunch there is a tour of the kitchen garden, for those who are interested. During the afternoon students can bake cakes, biscuits etc. to take home. Continental breakfast (for those staying at The Orchards), mid-morning tea, coffee and refreshments, four-five course lunch, afternoon tea and four-five course dinner with wine. We will show you short cuts and pass on valuable tips of the trade, teach you how to handle disasters and equip you to cope with the unexpected problems you may come across while cooking at altitude (exploding cakes being the most memorable one!). We have a gymwith commercial equipment including a treadmill, cross trainer, rower, cycle, utility bench and dumbbells.Students involved in the International Baccalaureate Diploma programme can do one of our five day courses to fulfil the creativity requirements of their CAS.

I have been meaning to write every since Nancy came home from her 5 day Chalet Cook course with you to say a huge thank you for everything you gave her during her time with you. When I collected her off the train on the Friday evening I wasn't quite sure what to expect! As it was - even though she'd had a pretty long and tedious journey with a couple of changes, and it was late in the evening - she didn't draw breath (that might not surprise you!) about what a fantastic week she'd had, and how much she had achieved and hugely enjoyed achieving during that time! And the fun she'd had with the other people on the course. The car smelt of garlic for the next couple of days (which was lovely!), and we have been absolutely bowled over by her confidence and enthusiasm in the kitchen since her return.Pudding : Coffee Profiteroles filled with Tia Maria Cream / Chocolate Eclairs filled with Ice Cream Gym / fitness facilities; a gym with commercial equipment including a treadmill, cross trainer, rowing machine, cycle, utility bench and dumbbells, a MUGA (multi use games area) for tennis, football, basket ball etc. a badminton court, volley ball and other games played in the garden. There is an art to being a great Chalet Cook. We will show you how to master it, enabling you to get the most out of both your job and life in the mountains. With many seasons of experience in the chalet industry and working alongside ski companies we have designed a course to train the perfect chalet host.

Cookery book containing recipes and guidelines for students cooking and entertaining on a budget. Hygiene and safety in the kitchen, shopping and storing food, menu planning, healthy eating and a goodie bag. The recruitment service we offer to our students and ski companies. We organise ski company presentations and interviews at the school leading to most students receiving one or two job offers while on a course. In the past we have had a 100% success rate at helping students who were really determined to find a job. Henry’s Avalanche Talk. Henry is well known and experienced Mountain Safety expert in Val d’Isere and he has prepared a bespoke training video for Orchards students to introduce them to the real risks of skiing off piste and the dangers of avalanches. It is intensive with over 100 different dishes covered on a five day course. The menus are chosen specifically so that we canteach as many different techniques on a courseas possible. Students have the opportunity to obtain a ‘Level 2Award in Food Safety in Catering’ during a two week Chalet Cooks Course).In 2015 (after many years of working with planners and builders!) the farm courtyard was developed expanding the school further so forty-eight students could be trained in six separate kitchens. The addition of Hoppers Bar (including a dancefloor!) has been enormous fun for both staff and students so any additional calories consumed during the day can be shaken off on the dancefloor! We have a licenced bar and dancefloor in a beautifully converted barn for students to enjoy in the evenings. We aim to give our students the best training and qualifications to help them stand out when applying to ski companies (and for catering jobs) and we believe this additional relevant qualification will provide another valuable ‘feather in their cap.’ Five day or two week courses are available (short enough for students to remain focused and enthusiastic about cooking, but long enough to turn a complete beginner into a competent cook). Our five day and two week courses qualify for The Residential Project of The Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. We are an Approved Activity Provider for the D of E