Blog

With teenage children myself, I know many mums who are looking to get back into work but are unsure of what exactly they are qualified to do.  For many women who choose to give up or reduce their careers in order to look after their children, going back to work again is the hardest part. […]

Every parent who has sent their children off to university has experienced that moment of panic over whether or not they will actually be able to feed themselves –  I know I certainly have.  The fear is they will resort to a diet based exclusively on microwave rice and cheap frozen pizzas because they are […]

Turn a Passion for Food into a Career  Whether you are leaving school or looking for a change, deciding what career you really want to pursue requires a lot of self-reflection, conviction and indeed, a bit of courage too. Taking what you love to do and turning it into a profession can be challenging. As […]

The Edinburgh Festival and Festival Fringe is almost upon us and the whole city is buzzing in anticipation of another year of the biggest arts festival in the world – plus all the fantastic things to see and do that come with it.   However, as most Edinburgh residents will attest, after a couple of weeks […]

How many times a day do we find ourselves asking teenagers to stack or empty the dishwasher, to clear up after themselves and to eat healthily?  The teenage years are an essential point of life to instil good habits that will last throughout life. I am always pleased to see how the teenagers who join […]

If you’re anything like me, you enjoy throwing dinner parties for your friends and family. It’s a great way to spend time together in relaxed surroundings.  However, I’m sure most hosts will agree that with the joy of entertaining comes a certain element of pressure. Of course your loved ones wouldn’t dare criticise or complain, […]

Leaving school is an exciting time for young people.  I know many who have their heart set on university and a few years studying and enjoying student life.  For others, it is the chance to start a dream career. I have always advised my own children, and those of friends, that with the constraints on […]

Many people dream of running their own restaurant, bistro or cafe and those dreams are born out of a passion for food and hospitality. However, the desire to delight people with culinary creations is not enough in itself to succeed as a professional chef.  The world of gastronomy is competitive and cost-driven and many dreams […]

Last week, as part of the course, our students had to devise a recipe and have it photographed. In fact this exercise had started long before last week. They are given a few themes that they can devise a recipe for. Once they have chosen their theme they then think of three ideas. We choose […]

We are at a very busy part of the Intermediate Certificate course. The majority of the students are also nearing the end of their Six Month Cookery Diploma and we like to keep them busy! Last week they all went off to various restaurants and bakeries around the city to do some work experience. Yesterday […]