“The lecturers are experts in their field”

What were your favourite things about the course?
All of the recipes, lectures & lecturers. They were true experts in their fields and learning from them made every class exciting. I still keep in touch with some of them today!

What has been your main occupation since finishing the course?
Recipe development, food photography in my own kitchen, plus seeing clients at The Perrymount Clinic in West Sussex coaching on healthy eating and cooking.

How much of a cook were you before starting this course?
I grew up in a family where the kitchen was the heart of the home and always in use. I learned baking and cooking not only from my parents, but also grandparents who owned bakeries and restaurants. I wanted to use this course to broaden my knowledge of healthy cooking techniques, and also to be able to pass this on to my own family and friends.

What made you decide that it was for you?
A bit of research and a quick tour of the school got me excited and ready to start as soon as possible.

What key skills did you learn on the course?
How to cook and eat based on Naturopathic principles such as fermenting, soaking, and sprouting. Looking at supporting organ systems through diet & lifestyle.

Where did you do your internship?
I’ve interned on Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch with Natural Chef Adria Wu; a raw vegan yoga retreat alongside Asa Simonsson in the kitchen; a kid’s cooking workshop at The Garden Museum Café with Ceri Jones, and also as a sous chef in a local gastropub, The Hurstwood in High Hurstwood,  where foraging and fermenting are consistently on the menu.

What did you learn from the experience?
Any hands-on experience gives you a more in-depth perspective on where it can fit within your own career. I have taken bits and pieces from each and every experience and want to continue to intern in a few more areas. There is always something to learn!

Please give any examples of how you helped provide your hosts with a fresh take on healthy food, or otherwise benefitted them, and any feedback you got.
I worked at The Hurstwood for a husband and wife team who were very much into fermenting, foraging, and health. We would constantly talk about different seasonal ingredients and how we could use them, what nutritional value they added to a dish, and the best ways to incorporate them on the menus. We also practiced different ways of using Natural Chef methods in their desserts. It was a great way to experience a commercial kitchen!

How are you using your CNM Natural Chef qualification?
I want to be able to help others who are interested in making healthy changes in their diet, or just want to learn how to cook! I’d like to offer local workshops as well and include kids – they love to roll up their sleeves in the kitchen!

What do your friends/family/clients have to say about your new culinary skills?
As the natural health field is growing rapidly and people are starting to be more aware of what they are eating, being a Natural Chef definitely has its advantages and you stand out from the crowd. It’s one thing to make food that just tastes amazing, but when you make it taste amazing and add layers of nutritional value to it – that’s a whole different level. It’s an exciting time to be Natural Chef trained!

How has this course changed any other aspect of your life? Eg. your health, the health of your family or the joy of a new career path?
All of the above! I’ve always been interested in culinary nutrition and I truly believe that diet contributes massively to our overall health and wellbeing. This course helped me to expand my cooking knowledge and techniques and to be able teach others what I’ve learned. I’m pleased that my own kids are fully aware of what they eat, where it comes from, and how to cook it.