Directly opposite the main wharf in Akaroa lies the Akaroa Cooking School that has been home to Lou and Ant Bentley where they have entertained guests for the past 12 years.
Their one-day classes are popular with guests from all over the world and they have a range of more than 15 classes to choose from throughout the year. Whether you are wanting to enhance your dinner party repertoire or learn about the flavours of Europe or Southeast Asia there is a class to suit everyone. Lou and Ant draw on their extensive travels throughout these regions of the world over the years and bring their favourite flavours and ingredient combinations to the cooking school.
Butternut Soup
Caramelised Onion Thyme and Blue Cheese Tart
Their guests enjoy a truly indulgent day learning about where to source the best ingredients, how to cook them perfectly and tips on how to make it look amazing on the plate. Lou and Ant source most of their ingredients locally from around the Banks Peninsula and many are grown in their large home garden and tunnel house.
The day culminates in a sumptuous four-course meal for the guests at the large dining table with matching wines and a chance to get to know their fellow classmates. “We are often asked by guests why we chose Akaroa to run the cooking school and we simply look out the window at the gorgeous harbour and surrounding hills and say, ‘Why not?’” Akaroa is a destination town and a day at the cooking school can be enhanced by a night or two’s stay to enjoy some of the many other attractions Akaroa has to offer.
*Named by Lonely Planet as one of the top 10 cooking schools in the world.
Pork Fillet on Rice Noodles in Miso Broth
Red Chilli Chicken
