The cookery-course business is booming, from grand hotels to trendy restaurants. Whereas more and more chefs offer cooking lessons in order to generate additional revenue and obtain greater customer exposure, it is rare to find a concept that makes the pleasure of learning to cook into the foundation of their business, without the backing of a restaurant. An early beginner in this field is L’Atelier des Chefs in France. Report by Conrad Freeling.
“Cooking, which was once perceived as a fuddy-duddy activity, has become increasinglymore valued, and appeals to a lot of people”, believes Nicolas Bergerault, the creator of L’Atelier des Chefs. To start with he observes: “Women of 25- 45 no longer know how to cook. Their mothers went out to work and broke the tradition of handing down their culinaryexpertise.” And this analysis is hardly any different for men. In short, a whole generation has lost the tradition of eating well, says Bergerault, a graduate of the HEC business school in Paris and former employee of L’Oréal and Nestlé.
Whence his idea of “reintroducing the French to their cookers”, by offering cookery courses which are “spectacular, easy and accessible to everyone, in a convivial atmosphere.” And it works – but beware of over indulgence! “Our best customer is on her 357th course in three years!” After the opening of his first atel - ier, in the rue de Penthièvre in Paris, the concept has really taken off and has quickly been copied. “There were already cookery courses in existence, but they were long, complicated and expensive,” Nicolas Bergerault explains. “Our idea was to allow people to rediscover the pleasure of cooking with little expense involved and without making it so complicated that it drives them crazy. Preparing food to eat is not a chore, rather a virtuous circle, one can have pleasure oneself and give pleasure to others, and they return it.”
| Our idea was to allow people to rediscover the pleasure of cooking |
The principle of L’Atelier des Chefs is simple: to offer à la carte courses between mid-day and 2 pm in small groups and then to share the meal that they have made. The customer consults the programme on the internet and books her/his place. Between 8 and 20 people can participate, depending on the size of the premises. An apron is provided and all the necessary equipment made available. Customers prepare from one to three dishes, according to the time available.
These can then be taken away or eaten there and then. In the latter case, drinks, cheese, dessert and coffee are charged as extras. A new idea for this season is the ‘Eating as a family’ formula, which offers the chance to prepare a meal for four, to eat it there or to take it home.
