For the past few years, I have held cookery weekends at the beautiful Villa Jousselin near La Rochelle, France. These weekend breaks are a lot of fun and excellent value for money. You will cook many of the recipes from my cookbooks with me and there will also be a few new recipes in there too.
Here is a video from the last weekend class we held in September 2019. All food and drink is included in the price of your stay as are transfers to and from La Rochelle Airport. You won’t go away hungry!
During your stay, you can do as much or as little cooking as you like. Some people really get in there and cook while other prefer to sit by the pool, taking in the view and sun. It’s up to you and all cooking levels from novice to pro are welcome.
For more information, contact Matt or Emily Clark and Big in France directly. Here is the link.
2020 dates are below:
14TH-17TH JULY
20TH-24TH JULY – SOLD OUT
10TH-13TH SEPTEMBER
Every year I change the class itinerary as quite a few people have returned two or three times. The itinerary for 2020 is as follows:
ARRIVAL AT VILLA IN THE AFTERNOON – TIME TO SETTLE IN
7.00 PM – APERITIFS SERVED – Get in! Small, tasty snacks, beer, wine, soft drinks… Whatever you want! As much as you want!
7.30 PM – WELCOME DINNER SERVED – WE WILL BE SERVING AN AMAZING NATURAL WOOD-COOKED BBQ! YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE THIS AND WE WILL ENJOY GETTING TO KNOW YOU BEFORE THE COOKING CLASSES BEGIN.
DAY 2:
9.00 CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST SERVED
These lessons all feature recipes from Dan’s published cookbooks as well as three new recipes from his upcoming book “The Curry Guy Bible”. All food and drink are unlimited and included in the price of your stay.
Demo Morning
Dan will demonstrate how to make different spice blends that will be used in the class.
Then he will demonstrate how to make four different dishes which include Kala channa (black chickpea) curry, broccoli curry, pav bhaji and keema pau. These authentic Indian dishes will be served for our first lunch. This is a demonstration class but if you want to get in there and cook, your help will be happily accepted!
Lunch: The above dishes served with Kachumber salad, butter toasted buns and matta rice.
Tandoori Feast Evening
This is not your average tandoori meal! The class will make a selection of spicy and mild chutneys and raitas which will play a big role in our tandoori feast. Then everyone will make their own naans, the curry house way. Spicy and mild marinades will be prepared to marinate meat and vegetables for our Balti evening on day two. A marinade will also be made to act as a sauce for the lamb raan feast.
Dinner: Char grilled lamb raan! Tandoori chicken can be substituted on request when booking. Served with homemade naans and a selection of chutneys, raitas and salad. Vegetarian option: Chickpea battered whole tomatoes stuffed with mild or spicy aubergine confit, grilled over fire on skewers. Please mention that you prefer the vegetarian option when booking so that we can ensure to have the ingredients on hand.
DAY 3:
9.00 CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST SERVED
Balti Lunch
We will make a Balti house style base sauce. Dan will demonstrate how to use it and then you will be set free to experiment, making your own Balti in authentic Birmingham Balti bowls with a selection of meat, seafood and vegetable ingredients on the BBQ. Sample recipes will be provided but you can also experiment if you wish. You will already be a professional at making your own naans so you can make as many as you like to dip into your hot homemade Balti.
Lunch: This will include your Balti with naans and two curry house style salads. You won’t go away hungry for the afternoon. You can make as much as you like.
Biryani Feast Evening
We will be making a massive whole chicken dum biryani with lots of delicious sauce just like those served at the most extravagant feasts in India. For vegetarians, Dan will instruct you on how to make an amazing curry house style veggie biryani, cooked with base sauce and seasoned to your preference. Please mention that you are vegetarian at the time of booking so that we can ensure we have the required ingredients on hand.
Dinner: There is no better way to end a curry class than with the dum biryani we will prepare for this amazing feast. This special feast will include a side dish surprise that will leave you gasping for more.
DAY 4:
10.00 CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST SERVED
TRANSFER TO AIRPORT AFTER BREAKFAST