ROOT CAMP COOKERY SCHOOL

Root Camp is a new cookery school that offers 14-18 year olds a real knowledge of food - its sourcing, preparation and enjoyment.

16 students will live and work together on the beautiful Rill Estate. They will learn to cook for themselves and others, and gain a greater understanding of what it takes to get food from field to table.

In the Field

Students will spend 4 hours a day working in the fields under the supervision of Riverford staff. The work will include, harvesting, weeding and planting. It will be physical, at times arduous, but ultimately satisfying. This will give students hands-on experience of how our food is produced, connecting them directly to the ingredients that they will then be using in the kitchen.

In the Kitchen

Using these ingredients, the students will work with our cook to develop techniques that can be used in a variety of dishes. Over the week they will build the confidence to follow or interpret recipes and be creative with ingredients. The recipes will be chosen for their cheap, nutritious and accessible ingredients and will not rely on specialised kitchen equipment.

At the Table

We will all eat together. For evening meals, we will be joined by a special guest - a visiting cook, a farmer, an artisan food-maker. They will be able to communicate their area of knowledge to the students, and present them with some of the practical and ethical choices involved in food production. The aim is to ignite curiosity and thought - and lively discussion around the table.

By the end of the week, each student will be better equipped for independent life.