The School of Artisan Food explained

The School of Artisan Food
Type:Charity
Foundation:2009
Location:Welbeck Estate, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom
Key People:Alison Swan Parente (founder)

The School of Artisan Food is a cooking school sited on the Welbeck Estate in Nottinghamshire. Founded in 2009 by Alison Swan Parente, the school aims to teach the 'lost skills' of artisan food production.[1]

History

The School was founded in 2009 by William and Alison Swan Parente as the UK's first artisan food school, and opened that October.[1] [2] The couple had founded the Welbeck Bakehouse the previous year but, upon finding that there was a lack of skilled artisan bakers to supply it, decided to establish a school to provide education and training in artisan food production.[3]

The school is located at a Grade II listed former fire station dating back to the 1850s at the Welbeck Estate. The School's facilities include three purpose-built training rooms, a resource room and a demonstration theatre.[4] [5] [6] The school focused first on fermented foods like cheese, beer, bread and charcuterie.[7]

The first students graduated from the School's Advanced Diploma in Artisan Baking in 2011, which is now a six-month course equivalent to foundation degree level.[8] [9] About 2000 students enrolled in 2015.[10]

The School hosts the annual 'Food for Thought' festival each summer with lectures from food writers, business owners and educators.[11] [12] The School won the Cookery School of the Year award for 2014-15[13] [14] and the Countryside Alliance Clarissa Dixon Wright Award in 2017 for outstanding contribution to food and education.[15]

It was featured on the BBC radio The Food Programme on 26 April 2010.[16]

In 2018 the School launched a foundation degree course, Artisan Food Production FdSc, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, taught jointly by both institutions. The first course will be taught in October 2019.[1] [17] [18]

In August 2018 the School launched a range of handmade artisan meats in collaboration with Delilah Delicatessens sold in Nottingham and Leicester.[19]

Courses

The School's courses cover a range of food production skills including butchery, bakery, cooking, cheesemaking and patisserie.[20]

The School's cheesemaking courses have been claimed by The Guardian to have "helped to transform the British industry".[21]

Courses range in length from half a day to six months and also include courses to teach students how to set up their own food businesses.[22] Seasonal courses, such as Christmas-themed classes, Mother's Day and Father's day courses, are also available.[23] The school's "Pig in a Day" is a crash course in butchery.[24]

The School attracts students from a variety of backgrounds, from middle-aged people looking to change career path, to hobbyists, to children, to international students who come for long-term residential courses.[25] [26] [3]

Notes and References

  1. News: New degree launched to meet demand for artisan food. Sheffield Telegraph. 30 January 2019. 14 March 2019.
  2. News: Bank of England Governor Mark Carney visits Nottinghamshire. West Bridgford Wire. 16 July 2018. 19 July 2019.
  3. News: How to become an artisan baker. The Guardian. 3 December 2009. 14 March 2019.
  4. News: Treat-making at The School of Artisan Food and Ye Olde Bell. Yorkshire Post. 2 January 2019. 19 July 2019.
  5. News: A new artisan school opens in Nottinghamshire. The Daily Telegraph. 10 June 2009. 14 March 2019.
  6. https://www.schoolofartisanfood.org/page/facilities Facilities - Bakery, Butchery, Dairy Training Rooms
  7. News: Nathalie . Jordi . British Artisanal Food Gains New Champions . The New York Times . 13 October 2009 . 10 August 2019.
  8. https://www.schoolofartisanfood.org/blog/2011/10/congratulations-to-our-first-graduates Congratulations to our first graduates
  9. Discovering lost skills at The School of Artisan Food. Locavore Magazine. 14 December 2018. 14 March 2019.
  10. News: Must-visit: A Downton Abbey fantasy for the 21st-century epicurean. Nottinghamshire Globe & Mail. 28 January 2015. 19 July 2019.
  11. https://www.sustainweb.org/news/jan17_school_of_artisan_food_lecture_weekend/ A festival of food thinking in Nottingham
  12. https://pebblemag.com/news/why-its-time-to-get-your-food-geek-on Food for Thought Weekend Line Up Revealed
  13. https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/the-12-food-trends-of-christmas-from-mince-pie-cocktails-to-deep-fried-crackling-9905959.html The 12 food trends of Christmas: From mince-pie cocktails to deep-fried cracking
  14. https://www.welbeck.co.uk/experience/learn/the-school-of-artisan-food The School of Artisan Food
  15. http://www.thestickybeak.co.uk/newsview.asp?newsid=794 The School of Artisan Food Wins National Title at the Countryside Alliance Rural Oscars
  16. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00s1p7l Food Programme April 2010
  17. News: Welbeck Estate - The school of Artisan Food. Nottingham Trent University. 19 July 2019.
  18. News: Jay Rayner on Restaurants. The Guardian. 16 December 2018. 25 July 2019.
  19. News: School of Artisan Food and Delilah launch new food brand. East Midlands Business Link. 23 August 2018. 19 July 2019.
  20. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/feb/07/five-best-butchery-schools-do-something Five of the best butchery schools
  21. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/dec/03/great-british-cheeseboard-expert-guide The experts' guide to a great British cheeseboard
  22. https://www.exposedmagazine.co.uk/food-drink/the-school-of-artisan-food/ The School of Artisan Food
  23. https://www.schoolofartisanfood.org/categories/all-courses All Courses and Cooking Classes
  24. The best artisan workshops to try. The Spectator. 25 September 2018. 19 July 2019.
  25. https://www.ft.com/content/e8ef5eb6-c769-11df-aeb1-00144feab49a Where bankers become butchers
  26. https://www.worksopguardian.co.uk/news/baking-school-is-cooking-up-fresh-careers-1-8754471 Baking school is cooking up fresh careers

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