Summer Garden Party Ideas

Light, colourful, the sort of thing that's a pleasure to eat outdoors: sharing plates, a couple of tarts, a good slaw, sausage rolls, something sweet to finish. On the day you'll cook a full spread along those lines, all built on what's in season. The idea is food that looks generous and relaxed, not fiddly.

Most of it, if you choose well. Slaws, tarts, relishes, scones and anything baked can all be done the day before or first thing that morning. The trick is to keep just one dish that needs cooking at the last minute, so you're not stuck inside when your guests land. We'll show you how to plan a whole menu around exactly that.

Not at all. The class is built so anyone can join, whatever your level. If you're brand new you'll get plenty of support with the techniques; if you're a seasoned cook you'll get the finer points to push you on. Our tutors are well used to a room of mixed ability and teach to all of it.

Everything you cook on the day, the full set of recipes to take home, and lunch made from what the group prepares. Just bring yourself, a pen, and a container for anything you'd like to carry home.

At our school on Brookfield Terrace in Blackrock, south County Dublin. There's metered parking on the streets around us, and we're an easy hop from town on the DART or by bus.

You can, and plenty do — a summer garden party day makes a lovely present. Buy a gift voucher and let them pick their own date.

Please bring the following to class with you:
Pen (for taking extra notes)
Sensible shoes!
**Tupperware

Aprons are available in our shop if you wish to purchase one from us.

**While we are happy for customers to take some of what they make home after class eg. cookies, cakes and breads, we suggest caution around taking cooked meat and fish dishes off the premises due to the potential health and safety risks associated with unchilled foodstuffs. Transported and inadequately stored food items can lead to contamination and foodborne illness - and you do so at your own risk - Dublin Cookery School takes no responsibility for food once it leaves the premises.

Note that with all of our courses you will be eating the dishes you prepare in the hands-on session and everyone generally leaves us well-fed. Keep in mind that it takes time to whip up what we've planned and we recommend you eat something before you arrive at the school. All food cooked in the school is intended to be eaten on the premises.

The beauty of how we design all of our courses is that anyone of any level can join us and learn lots. While someone new to the kitchen will find support as they manoeuvre through new techniques, the more seasoned cooks in our group will thrive on all the pointers we offer for further improvement. Our personalised approach allows for healthy breathing space because we always teach our course material in a layered way and know how to quickly adapt to a moving room. Constant, open-ended learning is one of the things we love the most about being in the kitchen and our tutors' enthusiastic teaching style and patience is a testament to that.

We have both a wonderful community of regulars and constant stream of new students joining our classes. You can expect a group of great diversity in both background and experience, many locals, and a good few travelers. What everyone seems to have in common is that they are eager to learn and be in good company.

If you suffer from a severe nut, egg, dairy, seafood, wheat allergy or coeliac disease, please contact us before booking and we'll be able to confirm whether or not a specific course menu is adaptable. Please note that certain course themes may not be adaptable in order to stay true to the course theme and brief. If we are able to accommodate, note that the changes will be made for the specific student in question but that the curriculum for other students will remain the same as the original.

When making a booking be sure to highlight if your food allergy is life threatening, you must bring an Epi-pen. If your food allergy is airborne and severe, due to the wide range of course themes and events that we host, our environment is not safe for you and we regret that we cannot accept your booking. Please note that while every care will be taken to provide a safe and enjoyable cooking experience for all students, the allergen(s) you are affected by may have been handled at some point previous to your arrival, so there is always the risk of cross-contamination.

Note that if you cannot make an Evening Course, Day Course, or Pop-Up Restaurant Night that you have booked, you are more than welcome to send someone in your place (16 years or older). There's no extra cost for this so just give us a buzz and let us know who to expect and we'll take good care of them. If this can't be arranged and you need to cancel your place, please take a look at our our full Terms & Conditions, go to https://dublincookeryschool.ie/terms to see what rules apply to you.

All of our regular courses are designed for adults and the minimum age requirement for someone coming on their own is 16 years old. If your child is younger than this we'd love to have them join us but they must be accompanied and booked on with an adult. Please note that our course fees apply to each participant or attendee, regardless of age.

Our Growing Gourmet and 1 Week Essential Skills for TY courses are for teenagers only.

Metered parking can be found right outside the school and on surrounding streets Monday-Saturday from 8.00-19.00. Please do not park on the grass verges opposite the school, on resident disabled parking spots, or on the double yellow lines in the area. For more info, go to https://www.dublincookeryschool.ie/your-visit.