So we gathered round our benches in our teams (Team Piggy) and the chef talked and demoed at a fairly fast pace so I was comforted to look round and see that I wasn't the only one getting a bit scared that I wouldn't remember everything. I was even more comforted when he said all recipes and steps would be emailed to us after the class.
Each element of the dish was explained from the width of the crostini to the extraction of the green stem inside the garlic and the reasoning behind it all and this carried on throughout all courses. So all ingredients were spread out in front of us and as a team we worked on different sections to bring it all together. When any cooking was required the chef gathered everyone round the two hobs and demoed again before handing over to a team member.
As soon as the starter was ready we were told to plate up then go and taste what we'd produced in the dining room. I must say, the depth and seasoning of our soup was so much better than if I'd attempted it at home as the chef was directing and reminding at every stage so he ensured we produced the very best.
As soon as the last person had finished then it was straight back to the kitchen to finish off the cooking of the mains. I had the task of prepping and cooking the cod, so no pressure then! The fish was seasoned and pan fried in unsalted butter and olive oil flesh side down for 3 minutes then turned over and immediately put in the oven to finish off for the last 10 minutes. Thankfully when I brought it out the top had a golden crust on and the fish was soft and flaky so this was piled on the braised veg and puy lentils. Then we were asked to rush back to the hob and add more unsalted butter and the capers, scrap off the fishy bits from the bottom of the pan and when the butter started frothing, to run back to the plates and pour over each one.
Our desserts had been placed in the fridge roughly 30 minutes beforehand so the moulds were brought out and while half the team worked on extracting them, the other two made the salted caramel sauce so it was lovely and warm when we drizzled on top. As the first two courses had been so tasty and fairly rich, the dessert wasn't finished by many which was such a shame as the flavours were lovely but the size of the parfait was exceptionally big.
L'Atelier Des Chefs do a variety of different cuisines and at varying lengths so I urge anyone to go and have a go. It's a fantastic team building event or a great bonding session with friends. I'm already planning what I'd like to attempt next.