Australia's Gourmet Retreat Lake House Launches Cooking School

In the heart of Victoria's Spa Country just 90 minutes from Melbourne, the multi-award-winning waterfront retreat is celebrating its 30th anniversary by raising the bar even higher with the launch of The Cooking School at Lake House.

Widely credited for starting the regional culinary tourism movement in Australia, Lake House Executive Chef and Managing Director Alla Wolf-Tasker's tenacity and belief in slow food have become legendary. Her pursuit of excellence at the renowned property over the last three decades has led to a litany of awards, most recently being named in Gourmet Traveller's 2014 Hotel Guide as Australia's Best Regional Hotel, and listed in Tatler's 101 Best Hotels in the World, The Australian's Hottest 50 Restaurants and Gourmet Traveller's Australia's Best Country Wine List.

Following the success of Lake House's restaurant, hotel and spa, The Cooking School is both a natural progression and a labor love for Wolf-Tasker. “Food, cooking and provenance have always played a strong part in our family home,” she said. “It's extremely satisfying to see how our guests' fascinations have grown from wanting to see what goes on in the kitchen to asking to if they can get their hands dirty alongside us.”

With the seeds of interest planted, Lake House started to provide occasional opportunities for patrons to learn from some of Australia's best chefs in seasonal Masterclasses. Given the demand, the offerings expanded with the launch of The Cooking School at Lake House as a way for guests to engage with chefs, cooks, producers and farmers on a regular basis.

The Cooking School allows guests to interact with like-minded foodies and learn from Wolf-Tasker and her friends - some of Australia's renowned chefs. Intimate classes are held in the special-built state-of-the-art demonstration kitchen on the six-acre property. There, participants enjoy demonstrations and hands-on instruction in contemporary cooking techniques from senior chefs of the Lake House kitchen team. Classes also often showcase produce from local suppliers and Lake House's own Kitchen Garden, planted with herbs and edible flowers, and orchard featuring olives, crab-apple, stone fruits, apple, quince and medlar.

Guests can also sign up for exclusive producer experiences from bee keeping, foraging and fly fishing to fermentation or butchery classes with local farmers.

Upcoming Classes, Workshops & Demonstrations

Cooking for Kids
Sunday, July 6 / 11:30am – 1pm / $85 per child
A fun and informative session for kids with Masterchef Alumni and KitchenWhiz host Alice “In Frames” Zaslavsky and the Daylesford Primary School Kitchen Garden coordinator Andrew Stone.
Includes 90-minute class and a fun kid's lunch.

Winter Masterclass
Sunday July 13 / 9:30am – 4pm / $230 per person
A full day of demonstrations and foodie discussion with some of Australia's top chefs and producers, including:
Colin Fassnidge Four in Hand, Sydney
Nicolas Poelaert Brooks of Melbourne
Michael Ryan The Provenance, Beechworth
Luke Croston Press Club Group, Melbourne
Hosted by Lake House Culinary Director Alla Wolf-Tasker.
Day includes all four demonstrations, recipes, tastings, tea, coffee, baguette lunch and wine.

Truffle Masterclass
Sunday July 20 / $160 per person
An introduction to working with Australian black perigord truffles, covering the principles of cooking with truffles, tips on selection and storage, information on shelf life and the opportunity to taste a range of delicious truffle dishes. Hosted by Sara Hinchey aka The Truffle Hound.

Butchery Masterclass - The Whole Pig
Saturday August 2 / 10am – 1pm / $150 per person
Discover more about a truly dying art – learn from the best with a Masterclass in all things pig with Piper Street Food
Company's Damian Sandercock and renowned butcher Angus.
Includes three-hour demonstration, a baguette lunch, a glass of wine and tea and coffee.

Spring Cooking Class – SOLD OUT
Sunday September 7 / From 9:30am / $280 per person
Join us for a 'hands on' Masterclass at Lake House – an exclusive opportunity to work with two chefs from the Lake House team in producing a beautiful seasonal menu. Spend a few hours in the Cooking School kitchen working with the region's best produce and get to play with some of our “toys.”
Includes a three-hour cooking session, sit down lunch of dishes produced, wine and folder of recipes.
Space is limited to 12 guests per class.

Spring Masterclass
Sunday October 19 / 9:30am – 4pm / $195 per person
A full day of demonstrations and foodie discussion with some of Australia's top chefs and producers, including:
Nicky Riemer, Union Dining, Melbourne
Dan Puskas, Sixpenny Sydney
Frank Camorra, Movida Melbourne & Sydney
Hosted by Lake House Culinary Director Alla Wolf-Tasker.
Day includes all demonstrations, recipes, tastings, tea, coffee, baguette lunch and wine.

Summer Cooking Class
Sunday December 7 / 10am – 1pm / $295 per person
Join us for a 'hands on' Masterclass at Lake House – an exclusive opportunity to work with two chefs from the Lake House team in producing a beautiful seasonal menu. Spend a few hours in the Cooking School kitchen working with the region's best produce and get to play with some of our “toys.”
Includes a three-hour cooking session, sit down lunch of dishes produced, wine & folder of recipes.
Space is limited to 12 guests per class.

Summer Masterclass
Sunday Feb 22, 2015 / 9:30am – 4pm / $195 per person
A full day of demonstrations and foodie discussion with some of Australia's top chefs and producers, including:
Scott Pickett, The Estelle & Saint Crispin
Cory Campbell, Vue de Monde
Nathan Sossi, Nomad Sydney
Hosted by Lake House Culinary Director Alla Wolf-Tasker.
Day includes all demonstrations, recipes, tastings, tea, coffee, baguette lunch and wine.

New classes are being added regularly.

Visit website: https://www.lakehouse.com.au/