12 Week Certificate Course
Work with the best
Lynda Booth's Dublin Cookery School runs a 12 Week Certificate Course twice each year (the only one in Dublin). She has the backing and involvement of some of the top chefs in the country including Neven Maguire, Paul Flynn, Oliver Dunne, John Wyer, Stephen Gibson, Sunil Ghai and Niall O'Sullivan as well as international chefs Atul Kochhar and Matthew Albert. The format has been carefully thought out to provide variety and challenge and the opportunity for an intense focus on broadening food knowledge and skills. After twelve weeks, students leave with an extraordinary set of recipes, a confidence to improvise with a wide range of ingredients and a skill level that will open up professional opportunities. You are invited to come and visit the school and meet with the current staff and students (some of the latter's comments are reproduced in italics).
What makes this course stand out?
We have the team to build your confidence quickly.
From the beginning of the course, you will appreciate the hands-on support of the tutors. The aim is to learn work practices, skills and speed that will underpin learning later on. You can catch the spirit of these opening weeks from what food journalist Aoife Carrigy wrote of her time on the full-time course earlier this year:
“Every day was full of sensory stimulation. Learning to recognise how bread dough should feel beneath the heel of your hand. Realising that once you smell a curry paste releasing each spice’s aromas into the air, you know it has also infused those flavours into the sauce itself. Observing how a guest chef keeps one ear open for the sound through which his cooking pans talk to him, even as he regales us with his insider stories of working in top London kitchens. Watching closely how each dish is plated up, or how to remove a chicken fillet from a whole bird, or how to roll pasta, or form fritters, or whisk egg whites for perfect soufflés. And of course, tasting, tasting and tasting: new cheeses and old sherries, rich risottos and perfect pizzas, family-friendly dinners and dinner-party dishes, healthy lunches and hearty soups, finger-licking cakes and exquisite desserts, rustic breads and farmhouse-style scones, Moroccan tagines and Thai stir-fries and salads and Indian chutneys and Spanish tapas...”
It is our level of individual attention that makes for such satisfying learning. We take only 24 students so that, from the outset, we can tune in to where you are and where you want to go.
We have a great format
Our schedule revolves around maximising your cooking time. It's important to see techniques demonstrated but learning takes place most effectively with a chef at your elbow teaching you how to taste, to develop your technique, to improvise and to present your finished dish creatively.
As the course progresses, there are a series of challenges that get students used to the comprehensive experience of hosting, organising, cooking and serving a professional meal. Rather than becoming solely focused on their own progress, students are encouraged to take on team assignments. The students run pop-up restaurants in the school's superb diningroom. No Irish cookery course has yet set up such rewarding challenges for their students.
'If anything, Lynda plays down what she offers. The course is full of surprises, a wine tasting one week, an autumn barbeque the next. Each day has been fully thought through and time just flies.'
Lynda has outstanding contacts
Course director Lynda Booth has an extraordinary range of contacts in the food business. She has always had the capacity to find others who share her passion and her drive for excellence and so has often befriended chefs long before they become well known. Neven Maguire was just 22 when they first joined forces for the cookery classes run from Lynda’s home. Some of her guests are world renowned such as London based chefs Atul Kochhar and David Thompson, who were the first chefs to gain a Michelin star for Indian and Thai food respectively. Others have very specific areas of expertise. Our resident baker, Rossa Crowe for example, excels in his ability to enthuse us about the joys and complexities of baking all sorts of breads. These contacts provide depth and variety and credibility to the course. They also mean that Lynda is in a position to recommend work placements and to identify ones to match each student’s personal strengths and ambitions.
'Shout if from the rooftops - there is no one who has her amazing contacts. They come because it is evident there is a bag load of mutual respect'.
We have the best premises
Dublin Cookery School is conveniently situated in Brookfield Terrace (off Carysfort Avenue) in Blackrock. It is purpose built and superbly equipped – the space is so bright and airy that it is an immensely appealing environment in which to work and learn. Previous students and guest chefs have all remarked that they have never worked in such a stunning setting.
We have cut our costs to a minimum
Quite simply the cost of the course, in time, will not be held at this rate. It is 20% less than others in its class. No cost will be spared in ingredients, trips, chefs and equipment. The course is a lifetime investment and we are determined that every aspect of the course should offer exceptional value.
It is a social experience
This is an intense experience, away from the rest of the world. We may be serious about food but the sense of camaraderie that also develops over the weeks will add enormously to the time spent here. As journalist Aoife Carrigy wrote of her time in the school:
“It’s an amazing thing to share an experience learning to cook with a group of one-time strangers. Because we cooked every day with a different partner, we really had the chance to get to know each of the very different characters who had chosen to come on the course. When you work that closely with someone, you quickly establish a mutual trust and respect. You learn about team work, about pulling your weight, and letting go of control. You learn to accept when things don’t go according to plan, and to give credit when they do. To say that we had fun throughout those weeks is a great understatement – laughter is the sound I most associate with Dublin Cookery School.”
Our hope is that you will not find it easy to leave.
Who is the course aimed at?
It varies from course to course but about half the participants will have a serious interest in pursuing a career in the food industry, a sector which promises strong growth. The choices are broad: employment in a professional restaurant kitchen, or opening a food business such an independent café, catering enterprise or food business. As the artisan food sector continues to grow, this course provides the inspiration and skill set to develop viable food business ideas. And with food continuing to be a source of fascination in the media, the total immersion of the twelve week course could be just the thing to set a budding food journalist, broadcaster or blogger on their way to a dream of a career. Gap year students, or graduates seeking short-term employment with which to fund their travels, will be armed with practical marketable skills allowing them, for example, to cook in ski resorts or to crew on yachts.
Some of the participants, for example, want to use redundancy payments or retirement in a constructive way and some are simply passionate about food and have been waiting for just this opportunity to have focused time in this area. Others again may see this as an opportunity to develop an understanding of and feel for food that will last a lifetime. Whatever their motivation, the course will provide a chance for all the students to stretch themselves and immerse themselves away from every care or distraction in the world.
Highlights of the new 12 Week Certificate Course include:
- Stellar calibre of visiting international and Irish chefs – including the likes of Paul Flynn, Neven Maguire, Oliver Dunne, John Wyer and Sunil Ghai, as well as head chefs from some of London’s more celebrated ethnic restaurants
- Field-trip visits to the home-base of some of the country’s leading food professionals, including visits to artisan producers
- The unique challenge of running regular restaurant nights to acclimatise students to the comprehensive experience of hosting, organising, cooking and serving a professional meal
- Career and business development advice from leading industry experts, as well as support in seeking out work experience placements for those keen to follow a professional path – whether that be in order to work their way around the world on gap year travels, or to carve out a new professional life
- A skillset of culinary building blocks spanning from core kitchen principles to sophisticated professional techniques – making the course as accessible to inexperienced novices as it is eye-opening to competent cooks
- The opportunity to work in a truly state-of-the-art kitchen, with the very best kitchen equipment and the finest ingredients from Irish and international producers
- A comprehensive introduction to all aspects of the food industry, from wine training and front-of-house service to hands-on artisan bread or cheese-making
'I remember thinking after the first hour on the first day that this could be a bit basic - careful what you wish for as it took off like an express train after that.'
Who teaches on the course?
Lynda’s loyal, enthusiastic and expert full-time team ensures that each student feels fully supported as they cook. Whether students arrive with little or no experience or as competent cooks, the in-house team will get to know each student’s strengths and weaknesses, providing just the right balance of support. As well as this regular full-time team of experienced chefs, the inclusion of outstanding guest chefs will play an integral part in shaping this unique course.
Lynda Booth
Lynda is a hugely experienced chef who has been teaching her craft for more than a decade. She originally trained and worked as a chef at Ballymaloe House for three years before moving abroad to work in restaurants in Canada and Italy. Based on this experience, she gained a coveted spot working for Raymond Blanc in his Michelin two-star restaurant Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in Oxford, England. The contacts she has gained through working in such stellar kitchens have allowed Lynda incorporate the professional experience of some our very finest chefs in this unique new course.
John Wyer
Having earned his early culinary stripes in two of Cork’s best loved restaurants, Jacques and Les Gourmandises, John Wyer expanded his horizons with stints at Michelin-starred restaurants in Spain, Germany and the UK. John has been based in Dublin for the last three years, cheffing at Pichet initially before joining his pastry-chef wife Sandy in the Michelin-starred kitchens of l’Ecrivain, where he was head chef. We persuaded him to join us full time at the beginning of 2011. He has been a superb addition, bringing fun and expertise and loads of new ideas. The speed he has students working on the last restaurant night is breathtaking and gives them a real sense of what service is like in a top restaurant. Now head chef of the hottest restaurant in town, Mulberry Garden in Donnybrook, we’re very excited at Lynda Booth's Dublin Cookery School that he joins us on the certificate course on Mondays.
Grainne Wall
Training in Ballymaloe School and then at Ballymaloe House was just the first stage in what has been quite the culinary adventure for Grainne Wall. That adventure took her to the wilds of Ireland’s west coast for a three-year stint in Clifden before opting for the sophistication of some of London’s top dining destinations. To the classical foundation of ‘Quaglinos’ restaurant, she added the innovations of the Thai-French ‘Vong’, and then followed those postings with the contrasting experiences of cooking at a private members’ club and one of Chelsea’s classiest gastro pubs. Returning to Ireland, Grainne immersed herself in the freshness of Avoca’s signature cooking style for three years. Since 2009 Grainne has brought all this experience to the school as a senior tutor.
Who are the guest chefs on the Three Month Certificate Course?
Paul Flynn– The Tannery Restaurant, Dungarvan, Co Waterford
Paul Flynn is one of Ireland’s best-loved chefs. His sophisticated but earthy cooking has discerning foodies beat a path to The Tannery. A frequent columnist with two great books to his name, Paul recently launched his first TV series. Paul Flynn is also one of the country’s finest cookery teachers and students will spend two days with him at his cookery school. This collaboration has been one of the highlights of the 12 Week Certificate Course.
Neven Maguire - MacNean House and Restaurant, Blacklion, Co Cavan
It’s just as well that Neven is a naturally down-to-earth man: the Cavan-based chef has won numerous awards in recent years. A booking at his restaurant, MacNean House and Restaurant in Blacklion, is one of the hottest tickets in the country. He also won ‘Best Irish Celebrity Chef’ and has had his own TV series, a regular slot on the Marion Finucane radio show, and is producing at least one cookbook a year. Despite the demands of his increasingly busy and varied professional life, he and Lynda have been collaborating for many years, and he still loves to take the time to teach on the full-time courses at her school. There is nothing he enjoys more than seeking out and nurturing the up-and-coming chefs of tomorrow.
Oliver Dunne – Bon Appetit, Malahide, Co Dublin
Oliver Dunne won his Michelin stripes in the shortest time ever in Ireland. His restaurant, Bon Appetit in Malahide, had only been open a year when it was awarded a Michelin star, breaking all records in Irish culinary history. It is fitting that Oliver has received such acclaim in so short a period of time and it comes as no surprise to those who have tasted his food. He has great flair as a teacher too, and his visits to Lynda Booth's Dublin Cookery School have been a huge highlight for many of our previous students. They enjoy not just the exposure to his considerable expertise but also enjoy being regaled with stories of his apprenticeship in top UK kitchens where he worked for many of the high profile chefs. He has some glorious ideas as to how to challenge the students in ways from which they can really learn.
Seiya Nakano – TV chef and owner of O’Sushi
Regular viewers of Gordon Ramsay’s F-word may remember this Irish-based Japanese chef – he had the distinct honour of being featured on the show to teach Gordon how to transform the finest Atlantic seafood into world-class sushi. Seiya is a regular tutor at Lynda Booth's Dublin Cookery School, where his knowledge of traditional Japanese cuisine – from sushi and soups to dumplings and marinades – has continued to fascinate our Irish palates. Students on this course have commented on his exquisite knife skills, his reverence for his ingredients and the simplicity of his techniques.
Matthew Albert – Nahm, London
Australian born Matthew Albert is head chef in London’s Nahm restaurant, which was the first Michelin-starred Thai restaurant in the UK. Following an already impressive professional cooking career in Australia, Matthew embarked on a culinary exploration of Asia before moving to London in 2001 to work with David Thompson at Nahm. What started out as a particular cooking interest for Matthew soon became a fully fledged passion for Thai cuisine. “The diversity of flavours and ingredients in Thai food together with the delicate care and skill needed to prepare each dish just completely captured my imagination.” Matthew’s dedication to Thai food and tradition together with his mastery of Thai cooking is phenomenal. Matthew teaches regularly at the school and plans his visits to Dublin to ensure that he can cook on our 12 week certificate courses.
Sunil Ghai – Ananda, Dundrum
Sunil has garnered an impressive array of fans and awards for his bold, contemporary cooking style. Not only the foremost Indian chef in Ireland, Sunil was officially recognised as one of the very best chefs working in Ireland when he won the FOOD&WINE Magazine Chef of the Year Award 2009. Born in Gwalior in central India, Sunil gained experience with the world famous Oberoi group before coming to Ireland to join the Jaipur group in 2001. He is now head chef of Ananda, Dundrum, and also regularly spends time working with the team at Benares in London under Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochhar. Sunil has been a regular guest chef at Lynda Booth's Dublin Cookery School; we value his contribution not just for the vast knowledge and experience he brings to the school, but also because he is a skilled, patient and experienced teacher.
Atul Kochhar – Benares, London
Atul Kochhar was the first chef to achieve a Michelin star award for Indian food when he worked as head chef at Tamarind in London. He went on to open his own restaurant, Benares of London, which also won Michelin star status along with many other awards. He has since opened a second restaurant just outside London and his first restaurant in Ireland – Ananda in Dundrum – to great critical acclaim. Atul is well-known to followers of TV cookery programmes such as Saturday Kitchen and The Great British Menu. He also writes on Indian cookery and returns to India regularly, leaving him very little time to teach, but he continues to make Lynda Booth's Dublin Cookery School a regular part of his teaching schedule.
Rossa Crowe – Le Levain, Dublin
Rossa has been guest baker at Lynda Booth's Dublin Cookery School since we opened for one simple reason: there is no one we have met who is more passionate and more knowledgeable about bread. Rossa's bread-making is based on traditional French techniques, using methods of natural fermentation standard in 18th century France but used by very few modern bakers. He worked for over six years in small artisan bakeries in the south of France before opening his own bakery, 'Le Levain', in Dublin. His breads are sold in Dublin's food market in Temple Bar, as well as being served by some of the city's top chefs such as Dylan McGrath at Rustic Stone.
What kinds of specific skills will students learn at the 12 Week Certificate Course?
The following list is an example of the specific areas and techniques that will be covered on the 12 Week Certificate Course.
- Bread – as well as brown and white soda breads, scones, yeast breads, French breads including fougasse, basic white bread, caramelised onion bread, sundried tomato, olive and sweet breads, we will also have time to explore the intriguing world of overnight starters and natural yeast sourdoughs. By integrating bread-making into a weekly routine at the school, we can guarantee that by the end of twelve weeks you will be an accomplished and confident bread-maker with a vast repertoire at your fingertips.
- Desserts and baking – including hot soufflés, tarts, mousses, cakes, biscuits and petits fours. Techniques including making crème anglaise and sabayon, using gelatine, making ice creams and sorbets, piping and decorating cakes, and various meringue techniques. We will also cover techniques for working with sugar, including spun sugar for crafting elaborate sugar cages.
- Pastry – regular use of different pastries for all sorts of desserts and savoury tarts, such as puff, filo, shortcrust and pate sucrée pastry. Once mastered, pastry making becomes an invaluable culinary skill.
- Pasta – from the simple to the complex pasta-based dishes and sauces. Making pasta dough and home-made fresh pasta dishes such as open lasagne and filled ravioli and tortellini.
- Sauces – the classic French sauces, modern sauces and vinaigrettes for cold and warm salads as well as hot cooked dishes.
- Basic stocks – various techniques for producing beef, veal, ham, chicken, fish, vegetable and Asian flavoured stocks.
- Soups – from the simplest soup in minutes to complex classic broths.
- Use of herbs and spices – a broad exposure to all sorts of herbs and spices, and a deep understanding of how to draw out the inherent potential of each herb or spice through various flavour pairings or cooking methods.
- Knife skills – everything from how to choose the right knife to how to take care of both the knives and yourself, plus all the classic knife cuts, skills and techniques used in various culinary cultures.
- Fish – Preparation of all types of flat and round fish, including skinning, descaling, boning, filleting; panfrying, griddling and roasting fish. Preparing sauces for fish dishes including classic French sauces, Asian, Thai sauces and salsas. Various methods for cooking shellfish.
- Meat and poultry – Learn to bone, dissect and trim different types of meat and poultry. We will cover a vast array of approaches to cooking meat and poultry such as panfrying, roasting and braising – and will take inspiration from a broad cultural cross-section, taking in tagines and casseroles, stir-fries and curries.
- Vegetables – vegetables as starters, mains and side dishes.
- Kitchen hygiene and food safety – visit from a HACCP consultant to discuss basics of food safety, including the legal requirements should you wish to work in a professional capacity.
- Wine tasting and food & wine matching – regular wine-tasting sessions with industry professionals will expand your knowledge of and appreciation for wine and its integral role in culinary culture. We will focus particularly on pairing food and wine, providing skills that will stand to you whether you are designing a wine list for your future restaurant or planning what to serve friends when entertaining at home.
- Food presentation – classic professional presentation skills and techniques will become second nature to you, and you will gain a sophisticated appreciation for the different styles of presentation common to the contemporary kitchen.
- Catering basics – students will become familiar with catering quantities and menu planning, and regular team challenges will put this new knowledge into practice.
- Cooking terminology – students will gain an easy familiarity with basic cooking terms currently in use in professional kitchens, allowing them step into any professional kitchen or follow any recipe with assured and well-grounded confidence.
- Dishes from culinary cultures as diverse as Chinese, French, Indian, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Malaysian, Middle Eastern, Moroccan, Spanish and Thai.
Our Location
The cookery school is close to the Dart station in Blackrock and several major bus routes. If you are driving, we are just 10 minutes off the M50 with loads of local parking.
Coming from further afield
We have welcomed students from 17 different countries so far. They appreciate our efforts to give them a choice of local accommodation and to get them oriented to Dublin. It’s a great city in which to be based for 12 weeks.
You are more than welcome to come and visit Lynda Booth's Dublin Cookery School (phone us at 01 210 0555 to arrange a suitable time). Come and ask questions about any aspect of the course. Nothing matches a personal tour.
If you would like further details about this course, or would like to book a place, please telephone the school at 01 210 0555 or email us at info@dublincookeryschool.ie