The Vineyard at Stockcross

Biggest Californian wine collection outside the US? It's in Berkshire, of course.

Words and Photography by Simeen Kadi

Much has already been made of that corner of Berkshire which is seething with Michelin lunch-fanciers, roiling with fine wine twitchers and overrun by weekending Hestonistas. But if you cross this fine county to its nether regions there is the Vineyard at Stockcross. More of a trek from the capital and so fewer of the Bray-ing (sorry) diners and more local ladies of distinction - but a fine spot nonetheless. There is no vineyard, sadly, as it is named after the owner's vineyard in the north of Napa, California, but there is much else to recommend it.

The chef here is Daniel Galmiche who has had an illustrious career from top restaurants around the globe to Le Gavroche in London before settling into the fine dining scene of Berkshire as head chef of L'Ortolan, Cliveden and now the Vineyard. His mantra is one that is pretty much echoed everywhere these days, although he's been following his principles for decades – local, seasonal, organic produce at its best. But behind the scenes is great skill and some technical wizardry turning the fine raw materials into what turned out to be an excellent lunch.



But before we delve into the food, a quick word about the wine. There is no vineyard here but there is a very fine wine cellar with something like 50,000 botttles, including a Petrus '82 (on the list at £20,000). The Vineyard has ambitions for the finest restaurant wine cellar in the country and it seems they may already be there. With the youngest head sommelier in the UK at the helm, Yohann Jousselin (26 and Sommelier of the Year 2011) has worked closely with chef Daniel to design a menu that is complemented by 100 exceptional wines all available by the glass. In addition, the wine list is a weighty 120 pages long; hence the army of nine wine waiters working with Yohann to help advise and recommend wine and food pairings. The list embraces all wine growing regions, old and new world, with an interesting emphasis on California – they claim to have the largest cellar of Californian wines outside that sunny state. Other lesser known but worthy wine growing areas are also represented, including Hungary, Lebanon and Greece.



Wine is a focus in the hotel's redesign.

This quest for quality and excellence over convention is also apparent in the kitchen where Daniel Galmiche includes new techniques in creating the ultimate flavour and texture combinations. I joined him in his vast kitchen to find out more about his culinary vision before sitting down to a five course meal. There, amid cauldrons of stock Chef Daniel was keen to demonstrate his Panasonic combination oven and microwave by cooking a fish course in just 4 minutes (more details of Panasonic's a range of kitchen equipment at http://theideaskitchen.co.uk/). The cod was cooked en papilotte, with garlic, tomatoes and coriander and then finished with a classic sabayon. The result was bright and full of clean flavour, a real pleasure to eat and exceptionally easy to make.

Before this course, I enjoyed one of the best foie gras dishes I have ever eaten (I've had a few, even though I am the biggest proponent of animal welfare, there is something wrong with the hardwiring of my brain that automatically switches to 'Yes' any time foie gras is on offer). But this time it was guilt free; from birds that are hand fed whole corn (no cruel gavage force feeding) in the French Pyrenees. The foie had been cooked confit in goose fat and pressed into a very generous slab, accompanied by clear cubes of quince jelly and an apple and chilli chutney.



To accompany the foie we were served a sweet and mineral-rich Reisling from German Egon Muller, known for their late harvest Rieslings.

The cod dish came next, which was fresh and light and went very well with the beautifully rich and buttery Casa Lapostolle Chardonnay from the Casablanca Valley in Chile - a fantastic wine and nothing like the over-oaked chardonnays common in the new world.

The main course was meaty and satisfying but with a lightness of touch that was very modern. A roundel of beef fillet, cooked sous vide to perfection and flash fried to give a nice crust was accompanied by truly unctuous pulled oxtail. Braised for sixteen hours, the meat was presented sandwiched between two paper thin slices of bread fried in butter – scrumptious doesn't even begin to describe this dish. The pumpkin served as a puree bridge between the two meats and helped cut through the richness. As did the exceptional Egri Bikaver, a ruby red with a dry, cherry palate from Hungary – the same grapes which gave us Bull's Blood have now been put to more noble service.



Desserts at the Vineyard are worth the trip alone and we started with Griottine cherry and Cranberry Terrine, Pistachio Parfait. The tartness of the cherry compote went very well with the pistachio and the rich parfait. As did the late harvest Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc by Ferrari Carano of Sonoma County in California.



I would have been a very happy bunny if proceedings had ended there, but this last dish was  exceptional. Described as Dark Chocolate, Ginger Ice cream, Pineapple, Tonka Bean Emulsion it was a sumblime dessert that I can taste even now, days later. A cylinder of 70% dark chocolate was filled with chocolate mousse and topped with a fragrant ice cream made from young ginger. At the table foamy pillows of tonka bean emulsion were spooned onto the plate (I was too overcome by then to take a photo of the complete dish, sorry) I know ginger and chocolate have long been hailed as one of the great food combos but this one, with the rich, smoky addition of the tonka bean, was truly superb. I didn't see or taste the pineapple but, truly, I didn't care.



The hotel's grounds and the fountain outside the conservatory-style dining room are a good pace to walk off some of the excesses. And, if you are game (and have either a chauffeur or a room for the night) there are several thousand more wines to try.

Cost: 5 courses for £75 with wines by the glass from £7

Likes: 21st century French cuisine with one of the biggest and best wine lists in the country

Dislikes: None, other than its distance from London

Verdict: Go for a long weekend or even an extended lunch.

Details: The Vineyard at Stockcross, Berkshire http://www.the-vineyard.co.uk/

London Restaurant Review - The Oyster Shed

Words by Simeen Kadi

The Oyster Shed is perhaps not the best way to describe this fairly new bar restaurant in the City. Outside it is all steel and glittering glass in a fabulous location on the North bank of the river near London Bridge – so not a clapboard shack on some sandy beach. Inside it has been tricked out in that East Coast style that made Martha Stewart millions. But the enormous amounts of plate glass and the large outside deck area make full use of the great river views.

This is Geronimo Inns latest venture. The pub group has over 30 pubs and bars from large and glitzy in Westfield to olde worlde in Chelsea. Their shtick, so they say, is that they are food led, meaning they are inns that serve food with alcoholic beverages – in that order. Er, like a gastro pub, then.

Whatever they want to call themselves, I had a very enjoyable evening at the Oyster Shed and tried some pretty decent food too. Head Chef Mark Donlon wanted to talk to us about the seafood they use at the restaurant and give us a few handy tips along the way. And, of course there was plenty to scoff as well. We started at a large table groaning with oysters, scallops and other seafood.

The oysters were Jersey Rocks, chosen for their flavour and also because they come from the  cleanest waters in Europe. There were also scallops from Essex and farmed seabass from Anglesey. Chef Mark is certainly passionate about treating seafood with respect and insists on sustainably sourced, local and seasonal.

Whilst demonstrating the easiest (and safest) way to shuck oysters and scallops Mark talked about seafood, from the madness of EU by-catch and quota regulations to why we must eat much more oily fish (it's the omega 3, stupid.) And, of course, we all know that any fish for sale with sunken eyes and a strong fishy smell should be given a wide berth. Mark also showed us the cleanest way to fillet a fish, although I suspect the key element is having a super-sharp knife – something most domestic kitchens lack.

Mark showed us how to shuck oysters and then let us all have a go at shucking our own  and, since this was the only way we would get those juicy bivalves out of their shells and down our gullets, we fell to our task with gusto and the mountain of oysters was soon conquered. Meanwhile Mark quietly slipped away to prepare some scallops for us.

We were also treated to some of the other food served at the Oyster Shed. As well as the fish and chips (very well cooked fish in a good, crisp batter) there was salmon roe and crème fraiche, an excellent chicken liver mousse and perfectly cooked steak. Farmed salmon is cured in-house using beetroot for flavour and colour in their gravad lax. The company also smokes their own fish and the smoked salmon was delicate with much of the sweetness and richness of the fish intact and just a hint of smoke. We also tried some cod and haddock ceviche, cured for only 40 minutes (much longer and it starts to cook and go rubbery, says Mark) in lime and lemon juice as wellas tuna chunks (albacore, so OK on sustainability – for now) in soy and lime juice with cucumber.

Then the scallops reappeared in their new guise, a dish to feature in the restaurant's new Autumn menu. Tender slices of unctious pork belly were interleaved with slices of delicate scallop which had only briefly been shown the pan and so retained their sweetness and silky texture. Set over a cauliflower puree this was a dish both hearty and delicately flavoured – a perfect starter for the season.

Likes: Fabulous setting on the North bank of the Thames with great views – right across from the Shard.

Dislikes: The interior is a bit corporate, rather like an upmarket Slug and Lettuce but the food and the views more than make up for this.

Verdict: In all, I like what the people at Geronimo Inns are doing at the Oyster Shed. The seafood is well sourced and very fresh and the daily blackboard changes to feature the day's haul, so expect langoustines, brown shrimp and of course, oysters. At £1.75 each, the oysters aren't cheap, but this is the City. Wines and beers are very well priced and the wine list is definitely one of the restaurant's strengths

Oyster Shed: www.geronimo-inns.co.uk/theoystershed/ 
1 Angel Lane, London EC4R 3AB
Telephone – 020 7256 3240 
The Oyster Shed is currently only open from Monday to Friday

Mission: Find the Best Burger in London - The Stack at Malmaison

It's been a while since I reviewed a proper burger, so it was about time I revived my earlier search for the best burger in London (see reviews here). I love Japanese food, I adore French cuisine, but it is the humble burger that gets me every time.

So when I heard that Malmaison Hotel's Brasserie in Clerkenwell (reviewed here) had a new burger addition to its grill menu - The Stack - it didn't take much persuasion.

The Stack (£19.95), created by Executive Chef John Woodward, is a meaty feast for any self-respecting carnivore - a succulent 250g patty from 28-day aged Donald Russell Aberdeen Angus beef with Gruyère cheese, grilled bacon, sliced baby gem lettuce, onions and tomatoes. It comes in a deliciously toasted bun (good texture - neither a squidgy bap nor a tough ciabatta) with layers of crispy, battered onions rings. But best of all is the delectable foie gras slider with caramelised onion that tops out this towering new burger. As if this were not enough, a portion of French fries is also included in the deal.

As intimidating as it may seem, I had no trouble in polishing this off, accompanied by a lovely bottle of Valpolicella Ripasso by Villabelvedere, which was priced at a reasonable £28.50. If you are not hungry enough to go for The Stack, you can still enjoy the Mal Burger which is all of the above less the crispy onions rings and foie gras slider (£14.95).

The London Foodie Goes to Malaysia - Kuala Lumpur

Arriving in KL, it's hard to believe that a city,  founded as recently as 1857, can have such a buzz with night-life, skyscrapers and traffic jams to match any world metropolis. Malaysians of Chinese, Malay and Indian origins, or mixtures of these known as Peranakans, live side by side. This diversity makes the country unique in its culture and gastronomy, and here is where I started a two-week visit to this intriguing nation.

View from my room at the Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur

KL reminds me of other two major cities - Sao Paulo and Bangkok . Like these two mega-cities, KL is not an immediately appealing place - but if you can see beyond its traffic jams, pollution and the levels of heat and humidity, you will find a capital city with plenty of things to discover and some of the most hospitable people you will ever meet.

What to do

A good place to start is the old Central Market (Pasar Seni), to the southwest of the present-day city centre. Now a collection of shops, boutiques and restaurants rather than meat and fish, it is close to Merdeka (Independence) Square with its colonial courthouses and government buildings.  The old mosque, Masjid Jamek, lies behind the courts where the rivers Klang and Gombak meet (where KL first began). 

From there, you can walk to the National Mosque and Islamic Arts Museum.  East of the Central Market lies Chinatown, then Little India, each with its own style, shops and food.  In the 1980s, the city centre began to shift eastwards from the old city, as a number of shopping malls and luxury hotels opened, then the Petronas Twin Towers opened in the same area in 1999.  Visiting the Petronas Towers is obviously a must-do in KL, and a ticket to the top, on sale from 08.30 each day, is definitely worth the £16 fee in my opinion. 

At the foot of the Towers is another shopping mall, and the KL Convention Centre. Also in this part of town, Bukit Bintang (Star Hill) is a good area for visitors to explore, with shopping malls, and 'Bintang Walk', with its smart outdoor pavement cafes.  

Besides shopping the best activities in KL are eating, or spending an afternoon of pampering in a spa in one of the five star hotels or at a roof-top swimming pool like the one at the Grand Hyatt (see "Where to Stay" below). Malaysian food is complex, reflecting the ethnic diversity of the nation.  Food is definitely one of the highlights of any visit to KL, with a wide variety of local cuisines cooked to a high standard on the streets and in restaurants.  There is food to suit all budgets, from hawker stalls to 5 star restaurants, including Malay, Nyonya, Chinese and Indian options.  For more information, see the 'Where to Eat' section below.

Outdoor Swimming Pool at the Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur

Where to Stay

Grand Hyatt Hotel

Malaysia has accommodation to suit all budgets, and it is possible to live very inexpensively like in other parts of South East Asia.  It is striking though, how affordable 5 star luxury hotels are in comparison to prices in Europe or the USA.  

With that in mind, and having spoken with friends from KL prior to my visit, the unanimous advice was to stay at the Grand Hyatt. The newest and swankiest hotel in KL, the 5 star Grand Hyatt opened in August 2012, right next to the KL Convention Centre and Petronas Towers. It is the first 5 star hotel to open in the city for 10 years, and its opening has been much anticipated. On arrival, guests are whisked up to the lobby, positioned at the top of the building on the 39th floor, for a captivating 360 degree view of the city's skyline and Towers.

All of the hotel's guest rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows, wireless internet, iPod docking station (great for charging your iPhone!) and luxurious bathrooms. Mine was a very spacious corner room.  The bathroom was lined with white marble, the bath tub facing the Petronas Towers. I liked the sober colours used - white and different tones of brown and beige which gave a feeling of cool elegance. It was also impressive to see the highest quality materials and fittings used, giving a sleekly luxurious feel to the room.

The hotel has three restaurants - Thirty8, JP Teres and Poolside. Thirty8 located on the top floor of the hotel, is a restaurant, wine bar and lounge and here is also where breakfast and high tea are served every morning and afternoon.

I didn't get to dine at Thirty8, but I thoroughly enjoyed my breakfast there particularly because of the open kitchen stations where I could see the chefs in action. The various kitchen stations along Thirty8 serve anything from authentic Malay dishes to sushi and sashimi as well as Chinese, and Western cuisines.

I spent a good couple of hours during my first morning in KL, eating Thirty8's many different types of cooked breakfast and chatting to the chefs - it was one of the best breakfast buffets I have seen in Asia. The chicken congee was a favourite, as was the selection of freshly cooked dim sum, and the Malay breakfast dishes including Nasi Lemak and Chicken Rendang.

Congee Station - Breakfast at Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur

Rice Congee with Numerous Toppings

The Western-style buffet and open-kitchen station were also impressive, and despite being rather full I was tempted to sample the English breakfast but somehow managed to restrain myself. The coffee, normally quite disappointing in Asian hotels, was excellent and just as good as in any top hotels in Europe - it was strong, frothy and rich. I must admit, I skipped lunch that day.

Nasi Lemak Wrapped in Banana Leaves - Breakfast at Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur

JP Teres is the hotel's ground floor restaurant offering Malay, Indian and Chinese dishes and is where I had one of my best meals in Malaysia, see "Where to Eat" below. The Poolside restaurant, as the name suggests, is by the hotel's swimming pool and offers al fresco dining with a more international menu including mac and cheese, beef burgers and fish and chips.

Dim Sum Spread - Breakfast at Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur

The outdoor swimming pool (kept at 28C) has a circular design and is lined with palm trees and cream-coloured linen recliners, some of them covered for added privacy and shading. A great place to relax and cool down from the tropical sun, idling away the hours with a good read.

Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur's Swimming Pool by Night

The hotel has state of the art health and fitness facilities including a 24-hour gym and spa in addition to the outdoor pool. In fact, one of the highlights of my stay in KL was to have a couple of spa treatments at the Grand Hyatt's magnificent Essa Spa, starting with a 60min full body massage (Essa Dream State) followed by a 30min Hydra facial, total bliss! There are dozens of treatments and massages to choose from, and I highly recommend trying one of them.

What most impressed me about the Grand Hyatt however was the high level of personal service that was extended to us and all other guests in the hotel. I have yet to see more efficient and courteous hotel workers than I encountered at the Grand Hyatt. From those turning down the sheets in the early evening to the breakfast chefs, receptionists and security guards, all had a friendly and welcoming approach that made our stay there so special. I was sad to leave!

Where to Eat

JP Teres

Of the 3 nights we spent in KL, the best meal we had was at the Grand Hyatt's JP Teres. If you only have one meal in KL, I would recommend this restaurant. 

The JP Teres restaurant is on the ground floor of the Grand Hyatt, and offers both indoor and outdoor dining areas. The large outdoor terrace is a good place to relax over a few beers and food, watch the football or meet friends.

Outdoor Dining at JP Teres - Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur

The indoor restaurant, where I had my meal, has separate open kitchen stations for Malay, Indian and Chinese cooking. The food we had there was excellent and was also surprisingly affordable considering it was in a 5 star hotel.

The restaurant is open to non-guests, and on our visit, many Malaysian families were also having dinner there. The restaurant has a separate station for Malaysian desserts, pastries and ice creams.

We started with a portion of beef satay skewers (£3.50) served with cucumber and onions, rice cake and peanut sauce. The meat was tender and well cooked and it took us no time to polish them off.

Our next dish was Nasi Ayam (£4.50) a dish made from succulent pieces of roasted chicken accompanied by ginger rice, a flavoursome chicken broth, and different types of sauces including chilli, ginger and soy sauce. This was a delicious dish and one I will long remember from this trip.

 The Sambal Udang Petai (£6.50), a prawn sambal (chilli-sauce based) dish with tomatoes, onions, chilli and cluster beans was also magnificent and paired particularly well with the Garlic Roti (£2) that chef Sanjay baked freshly for us. Seeing that I had not ordered his garlic roti, chef Sanjay brought it to our table urging us to try it (which didn't take much persuasion as it looked and smelled so good) and I am so glad he did!

The Oyster Omelette (£4) was also very good as was the Sambal Kangkong (£3), a vegetable dish of wok fried morning glory, garlic, fresh red chilli and belacan (shrimp paste). I love belacan, it is rather pungent but also sweet and salty, brimming with umami deliciousness and I just can't get enough of it.

Dr G and I were rather full but had just enough space to squeeze in a small fruit selection platter (£3) which was refreshing, very sweet and tropical. Alcoholic drinks are not cheap anywhere in Malaysia because of "sin" taxes, and JP Teres was no exception. Our glass of draught beer cost £3.50 each whilst the most affordable glass of wine started from £6.

All in all, this was a delicious meal, and I hope that the hotel retains its excellent culinary standards until my next visit to Malaysia as I will undoubtedly return for more of their Nasi Ayam.

Old China Cafe

This was my third visit to the Old China Cafe, a favourite haunt of mine whenever I visit KL, but unlike my previous visits, this meal was a tad disappointing both due to the food and the service.

The Old China Cafe is an early 20th century Chinese shop house in Chinatown. The decor is authentic and wonderfully preserved making for a really atmospheric setting. The very affordable menu includes some classic Malay and Nyonya favourites (Nyonya cuisine was developed in Malacca and also Singapore, coming from the inter-racial marriage between Malay women and Chinese men). Booking is recommended as it is always packed with locals and tourists (see Travel Essentials for details).

The Ikan Bilis (£1.50), crispy fried baby anchovies served with homemade chilli sauce, was delicious and well seasoned and perfectly paired with our chilled local Jaz beer (£3). I have made a different version of ikan bilis at home, this is one of my favourite Malaysian appetizers (see recipe here).

The Nyonya Laksa (£2) had yellow noodles in a coconut broth which was rich and spicy, and was garnished with prawns, deep fried tofu and half a boiled egg. I would have enjoyed this laksa had it not been for the deep fried tofu which tasted stale and ruined the dish for me.

The Kari Kapitan Chicken (£3), a Penang version of curry chicken cooked with a range of aromatic spices, chilli paste and coconut cream, had a lovely curry sauce but unfortunately the meat was surprisingly dry and tough probably from overcooking.

Siu Yok Devil Curry (£4.50) is a popular Nyonya dish from the Malacca Portuguese community. It is roasted pork belly cooked in a spicy broth with ginger and chillies. I enjoyed this a lot although their Beef Rendang (£3), the most popular of Malaysian dishes, was unfortunately tough and rather lacking in flavour.

Brinjal Belacan (£2), stir fried aubergine with belacan (spicy shrimp paste), was adequate although I felt the dish could have done with more belacan.

This might have been an off night, I have had excellent food there before so approach this restaurant with caution and do not make this your only choice in KL.

Jalan Alor 

Street Food (Hawker Food) plays a major role in Malaysian cuisine, and if this style floats your boat, the place to head to whilst in KL is Jalan Alor. Occupying the former red-light district of KL, Jalan Alor is a stone's throw from the shopping plazas of Bukit Bintang.

The street is deserted during the day but at sunset, the many cafes lining its pavements will open and put out tables, chairs and lights on the street. Thousands of locals and adventurous tourists will flock to Jalan Alor daily to try the incredibly good value street food on offer. In my opinion, quality and hygiene vary from stall to stall, be sure to find a place with running water and proper refrigeration.

Travel Essentials

Direct flights from London to Kuala Lumpur are available with British Airways and Malaysian Airlines.  Middle Eastern airlines provide indirect flights at lower cost, with a 60-120 minute stopover, including Etihad (changing at Abu Dhabi), or Qatar Airlines (changing at Doha). 

We flew with Etihad, at a substantially lower cost than any other carrier at the time, and we found it to be perfectly satisfactory - http://www.etihadairways.com/sites/etihad/uk/en/home/pages/home.aspx

Some of Kuala Lumpur's sites of interest:
Markets of KL - http://www.malaysiasite.nl/markets.htm
National Mosque - http://visitkualalumpur.com/cmarter.asp?doc=382
Islamic Arts Museum - http://www.iamm.org.my/
Chinatown - http://www.malaysiasite.nl/petaling.htm
Little India - http://www.malaysiasite.nl/littleindiaeng.htm
Petronas Towers - http://www.petronastwintowers.com.my/ 
Bukit Bintang (Star Hill) - good area for shopping, and 'Bintang Walk', with its smart outdoor pavement cafes - http://www.bukitbintang.com/en/

For the best luxury accommodation that KL can offer, the Grand Hyatt Hotel is my top recommendation:
Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur
12 Jalan Pinang,
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 50450 
Tel: +60 3 2182 1234  
Email: kualalumpur.grand@hyatt.com
http://kualalumpur.grand.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels-kualalumpur-grand/index.jsp?null&icamp=hy_KUALA_hpps2_na_en

Rates are seasonally variable, during my stay rates started from around £120, whilst my room cost £180 per night.

For expert local cuisine, in a 5-star setting, JP Teres at the Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur is my place of choice:
JP Teres - Ground Floor of the Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur (see address above)
http://kualalumpur.grand.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels-kualalumpur-grand/entertainment/index.jsp
Old China Cafe (for Nyonya cuisine in Chinatown) - http://www.oldchina.com.my/ocklindex.htm
Jalan Alor (for hawker food) - http://www.malaysiasite.nl/jalanaloreng.htm

Interesting sites about Malaysia:
Malaysian by May - http://www.malaysianbymay.com/
Malaysia Site - http://www.malaysiasite.nl/starteng.htm
Tourism Malaysia - http://www.tourismmalaysia.gov.my/en/master
Visit Malaysia - http://www.visit-malaysia.com/

Baking with Maria – The Baking Lab

Words and Photography by Howing Lai

“Did you watch the final of The Great British Bake Off Final?”…”Yes!!! It was so good!!!” were the first words I heard as I arrived at London’s newest bakery school The Baking Lab. There is no doubt that baking is probably one of the coolest things to be doing right now and what better way to boost cool points than learning how to bake. I was invited to a preview evening and having been trained at Le Cordon Bleu London in Pastry, this was right up my street.

The Baking Lab located in St. Johns Wood, North London offer baking classes aimed at novices to keen home bakers in a wide range of classes including:- artisan bread, traditional French pastry (croissants, pain au chocolat, éclairs, millefeuilles, etc), macaroons, and cake baking. 

The school has come on as the next step for owner and keen home baker Maria Mayerhofer who spent three years teaching baking courses at home. She is so passionate about baking that not even being massively pregnant could stop her! Her success hasn’t gone unnoticed either where companies including KitchenAid, Shipton Mill, Kvadrat and Rice.dk have backed her.  

The preview of the focaccia class was excellent, the large turnout of guests were keen to learn how to make focaccia and Emmanuel Hadjiandreou (Artisan baker with over 25 years experience) who is a teaching staff of the bread classes did not disappoint. Emmanuel prepared the foccacia the previous night and left it in the fridge to allow flavours to develop within the dough, a step often neglected by many home bakers. As it was only a preview of the class, the guests shaped the dough by massaging it with olive oil and adding toppings of caramelised onions, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, and rosemary (All rather yummy!). At the same time Emmanuel explained to the guests how the dough was made, shaped and also educated on the history of foccacia bread whilst giving plenty of attention to each person. After what felt like an eternity (actually it was only about 30min) waiting for the bread to prove, it was finally ready and in it went into a hot oven, 15/20mins later... voila - super tasty foccacia bread! I had a quick taste of one made by the chef, and I must say it was really delicious.

Classes are excellent valued ranging from £65 to £110 for 3 to 5 hours of teaching and for those who are really enthusiastic, Maria offers a 4 day cooking holiday in the beautiful Villa Boccella, Tuscany. The classes are run in small groups to allow plenty of interaction with the teaching chef. Students also get a copy of the recipe and also to take home the goods so they can brag to their friends and loved ones of their now baking expertises. Honestly if I hadn’t already been to culinary school I would seriously be tempted to take a class here as they are good value for money and really enjoyable, Go on! Give it a try!

The Baking Lab,
2nd floor,
81 Loudoun Road, 
St Johns Wood,
London, 
NW8 0DQ

Telephone: - 077 2595 2724

For further information on courses visit the website: - http://www.bakewithmaria.com/courses/

Words and Photography by Howing Lai

British-born Chinese, Howing Lai comes from a family of gourmands from the Midlands, where his father is a renowned dim sum and pastry chef. Graduated in Biochemistry with a Masters in Bioinformatics, Howing decided to leave science to pursue his true passion in life - cooking. Recently graduated from Le Cordon Bleu's Grande Diplome, Howing is now working as a commis-pastry chef at a 5-star London hotel, with an ultimate goal to bring his creative and contemporary interpretation of Chinese cuisine to us one day.