Back to basics with the best ingredients
NEARLY 10 years ago, Lou and Ant Bentley gave up the daily grind in the city to pursue their dream of running a cooking school in Akaroa.
They wanted to teach people how to get back to the basics, growing their own food where possible or at least knowing where it came from and how to prepare it.
‘‘Looking back, I guess it was a kind of risky move to set up a cooking school in Akaroa, but we always had belief that if we got the formula right it would work and give us the lifestyle we were dreaming of.’’
The school has gone from strength to strength and they have moved into consultancy and culinary tours.
They aim to make sure there is nothing too complex about their recipes and they are all achievable without the need for any fancy equipment.
‘‘The key with all cooking is to use the best ingredients you can get your hands on. We often say to guests that your dish is only as good as your worst ingredient.’’
In their second cookbook, Recipes from the Akaroa Cooking School, they pass on some of the advice they give at their different classes — Asian, barbecue, canapes, seafood and gourmet in a day — before they get into some of the recipes, dividing the book into chapters on canapes, light meals, salads, mains, sweets and extras.
It gives tips on hosting dinner parties and shares how restaurant service can be incorporated into your home cooking.
They hope the book inspires readers to track down great ingredients and get out there and meet the local food producers and get to know them, so they supply them with the best.