If you have ever wondered about doing something completely different on a Sunday morning, look no further! The Chapel Hill Retreat in McLaren Vale offers “Hands on” cooking classes that will satisfy all your senses. When you arrive you will be greeted with breathtaking views of the vineyard nestled in gently rolling hills and overlooking The Chapel Hill Cellar Door and Winery. Your enjoyment will be heightened as you sip on a cappuccino in front of the main room fireplace as the other guests arrive.
And just wait for the other senses to kick in……..smell, taste and touch like you’ve never experienced before.
The classes are limited to 14 guests and are very professionally organised so you feel comfortable in the kitchen and produce amazing results. You are given tuition, recipes and an apron (to keep!) followed by the best lunch, wines and new friends you can imagine.
Chef Rebecca Stubbs has created these recipes from her vast wealth of Australian and overseas experiences. She is an absolute delight which makes you feel very comfortable in the kitchen. She keeps a close eye on each person to ensure that everyone’s course is a triumph. The work stations have pre-measured ingredients and recipes, all set up for you to work your magic. One of their secrets of success is using fresh and seasonal foods in their cooking. The smells of cinnamon, coriander, rose water and vanilla were quite heady and gave us all an anticipation of a feast yet to come.
For this particular Arabian class, there were 2 delicious entrees served with homemade lavash (my team’s contribution!), a flavoursome lamb tagine with 3 refreshing accompaniments, and 3 scrumptious desserts. We shared our lunch in the main room, served, of course, with lovely Chapel Hill wines.
The General Manager, Brett Lanthois, was there to welcome us with a smile and a cup of coffee when we arrived and to help us in the kitchen when we looked lost. Brett matched the wines to each course and explained the character of each wine.
Overall, Rebecca and Brett made our day very informative and lots of fun. I would highly recommend these classes to everyone, and would urge you to think about getting a group together to share this wonderful experience. You also have the option to stay in one of their accommodation rooms at the Retreat and be treated to breakfast the next morning. Doesn’t get any better than this!
Every class is different, be it Vietnamese, Arabian, American, and the list goes on, so check out their website, www.theretreatatchapelhillwinery.com.au or contact them on (08) 8323 9182 to ask for further details and to book your class.
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