Meat Free Monday was lucky enough to go to the Cookery School recently and attend a class which aimed to show “how good vegan food can be”. Run by a fully qualified chef named John Fernandez and supported by Aga Nowicka, the three-hour session was held in a small, professional kitchen at the Cookery School HQ in central London (just minutes from Oxford Circus).
With drinks and nibbles on reception, the ‘Meat Free Monday – Vegan’ class kicked off with hygiene and safety procedures before the students (just four of us) worked together with John and Aga to prepare a delicious vegan feast of Mini Pizzas, Arrabiata Sauce and Puttanesca Sauce with Pasta, Vegetable Chilli with Herbed Basmati and Wild Rice, Spanakopita, Risotto Primavera and Chocolate Sorbet.
From cutting an onion (who’d have thought that it’s best to keep the root in tact while you do this) to skinning a tomato, preparing garlic to kneading dough, the class covered some everyday key cooking skills, plus more advanced techniques such seasoning and working with filo pastry. The mixture of demos and ‘hands on’ practice, with a chance to ask questions throughout, made the whole experience particularly beneficial and showed how varied and exciting Meat Free Monday meals can be.
And what a spread! … Once the food was prepared, a table was set up and we were invited to sample a couple of dishes at a time, along with a glass of wine or beer.
The Cookery School runs a range of veggie courses, including ‘The Ultimate Vegetarian Course’, ‘Vegetarian Indian Masterclass’ and ‘Meat Free Monday – Vegan’.
“The main reason for Meat Free Monday is to reduce the consumption of animal proteins as we eat far too much of them anyway”, said Cookery School Principal Rosalind Rathouse. “If we can reduce the amount of meat and poultry that we eat, we can reduce our carbon footprint too.”
“Recent research is showing too that a meal higher in vegetables is far healthier than one loaded with animal protein and fats. Over and above those reasons, vegetables are really delicious when well-cooked and provide great variety throughout the year, particularly if one cooks seasonally. Pulses and grains provide a source of protein too so vegetable eaters are not deprived of proteins if they plan their meals wisely. We often provide meat and vegetarian lasagnas and we find that even meat eaters say how delicious the latter is and often on their second helpings go for the vegetarian one.”
For your chance to win a place at one of the Cookery School’s vegetarian or vegan classes, simply complete the form below. The prize draw closes at midnight (GMT) on Friday 9 June. Please note, all classes take place in London, UK.
THIS PRIZE DRAW IS NOW CLOSED.
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*Terms and conditions
– You can enter this competition by completing the online form above.
– You are entering a competition to win one place on a vegetarian or vegan cookery class at the Cookery School, 15b Little Portland Street, London W1W 8BW.
– The winner can choose a place on one of the following four courses taking place on various dates between 10 June and 31 December 2017: ‘Wild Fermentation Pickling Class’, ‘The Ultimate Vegetarian Course’, ‘Vegetarian Indian Masterclass’, ‘Meat Free Monday – Vegan’.
– These prizes cannot be exchanged for any other prizes or cash.
– Only one entry per person permitted. All entrants must be over 18 years of age.
– Automated entries will not be accepted.
– The prize draw closes at midnight (GMT) on Friday 9 June, 2017 and entries submitted after this date will not be considered.
– One winner will be chosen by way of a random draw of all entries received, to be performed by a random computer process. The winner will receive one place on one vegetarian or vegan cookery class.
– The winner will be notified within five working days of the close of the prize draw via the email provided above.
– The winner will be booked a place on a class at the Cookery School, 15b Little Portland Street, London W1W 8BW on date to be mutually agreed with the Cookery School who will contact the prize winner via the email provided above. Failure to respond and/or confirm a date/class, or failure to meet these eligibility requirements or those of the Cookery School may result in forfeiture of the prize.
– This competition and prize draw will be governed by English law and entrants to this competition and prize draw submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts. By entering the competition and prize draw entrants are deemed to have accepted these terms and conditions.
– Meat Free Monday shall use and take care of any personal information you supply to us.
– Meat Free Monday will act at all times in line with our Privacy Policy, which can be found at: www.meatfreemondays.com/terms-conditions/ and at all times in accordance with data protection legislation.
– Promoter: Meat Free Monday Limited (“Meat Free Monday Limited”) of 1 Soho Square, London W1D 3BQ.
– Meat Free Monday shall not be liable for any failure to comply with its obligations relating to this prize draw where such failure is caused by something outside of Meat Free Monday’s reasonable control.
– Meat Free Monday makes no warranty as to the cookery classes run by the Cookery School hereunder and expressly disclaims all liability with respect thereto. Meat Free Monday does not accept any responsibility for any damage, loss, injury or disappointment suffered by any entrant entering this competition or as a result of accepting any prize hereunder SAVE THAT Nothing shall exclude Meat Free Monday’s liability for death or personal injury as a result of its negligence.
– Meat Free Monday reserves the right to substitute the prizes with other prizes of similar value in the event that the original prizes are not available.