This course will transport you into the kitchen of Plates, the pioneering new high-end plant-based restaurant in Shoreditch East London. The course led by acclaimed chef Kirk Haworth immerses you in the partnership of food, art and travel, fuelled by the freedom of change. Kirk’s aim is to redefine veganism by showing vegetables in their truest form, while using them in innovative ways to maximise their flavour. Most of us make dishes where the star of the show is meat or fish, and the vegetables provide the accompaniment. Kirk has mastered the art and techniques of making vegetables the true stars of the show. You will finish this course inspired by the endless possibilities of plant-based cooking, equipped with the foundational cooking techniques you will need to create delicious dishes at a professional standard.
Kirk will take you through, step by step, some of his most popular dishes, and will advise you on your technique and presentation. You will be guided through which ingredients you should be using in your local environment, and Kirk will help you to create dishes good enough to serve in his own restaurant! By the end of the course, you will have a full understanding of the environmental and nutritional benefits of a plant based-diet, and will discover the vast number of positive effects this will have on your overall wellbeing.
Adapting your pantry and tastebuds to become a plant based chef
During this lesson, you’ll be taught how to kit out your pantry with key ingredients to become a plant based chef. You’ll be taught which ingredients you should have to hand to perfect your palette and cooking techniques. These include: Herbaceous oils, sauces, ferments, condiments, seed creams, toasted, seeds & nuts, dried herbs, dried fruits, preserved & pickled vegetables, pulses & grains, confit onions, coconut oil, flours, salts, spices, aromats and others.
First dish: Spring Risotto
In this lesson Kirk will run you through the nutritional benefits of a vegan diet, and the many ways that it will improve your overall wellbeing. He will then walk you through one of his favourite core dishes to cook at home for you and your family - Spring Risotto.
Second dish: Seasonal Soup
Next, Kirk will go into depth on how a vegan diet will positively affect the environment, and why we should all be making a conscious effort to introduce more plant-based meals into our diet. He will then demonstrate you can prepare your own Seasonal Soup, wherever you are in the world.
Fine Dining Spread
Finally, Kirk will demonstrate how you can create a fine dining spread which will impress and entertain guests in your own home. This will include a starter, main course and dessert which can be enjoyed by everyone – even the meat lovers will be licking their plates clean!
