A bunch of sorrel, a few of chard leaves, a handful of olives …

Cameron Cansdell, the long standing Manfredi at Bells Head Chef, is taking groups of eight or so people for a wander around Stefano Manfredi‘s kitchen garden. Rather than forcing a menu that is out of tune with the seasons, here it’s all about taking a macrobiotic approach. If you’re a willing apprentice, you and your fellow students cook with what’s growing, bearing fruit and ready for harvest.

After all, this is the Italian way; old fashioned sustainability before it became a ‘thing’. Cameron and his team will demonstrate traditional cooking techniques in the restaurant kitchen and provide plenty of hands on practice. This might mean slicing and dicing fresh produce from the garden, peeling honey bugs, blanching broad beans or roasting peppers. If you’re making ‘Meringue with blood orange caramel, mascarpone and chocolate’, you’ll get a chance to lick the mixing bowl too.

Once all the dishes are created, you’re in for a relaxing sit-down meal sipping A-list wine. You’ll be joined by Cameron who’ll impart knowledge gleaned from decades rattling pans for the likes of Damien Pignolet at Bistro Moncur, Peter Doyle at est and Stefano Manfredi, as well as heading up the team at De Bortoli’s in the Yarra Valley. 

Bells at Killcare is a quick one hour scoot north up the freeway from Sydney. We suggest making a weekend of it and booking into a private cottage, fitting in some pampering at the luxury day spa and giving yourself over to the ever-lovin’ arms of 10 acres of mother nature.

Bells at Killcare Cooking School
Held monthly – upcoming  2013 dates:
6 September
2 October
6 November
Classes resume in February 2014
Bookings T: (02) 4349 7000