Chefs

Ian Dowding
Ian Dowding is an experienced chef, having spent 35 years in the restaurant trade and the past five years teaching and writing for catering press publications. During his career, Ian spent 12 years running his own successful restaurant and whilst Head Chef at the Hungry Monk, Jevington, he invented the now famous Banoffi Pie. Ian was also the chef for the television series Regency House Party. Ian is an excellent tutor; enthusiastic, and encouraging and has the patience to develop skills in even the most kitchen shy individual.

Steve Cooke
Steve Cooke’s chef skills have been honed during a career that has seen him working in a variety of restaurants both in the UK and further afield. Since becoming freelance he has worked in a number of environments including with Fifteen To You (Jamie Oliver’s events company), and Formula One Chef for I.T.V. Steve has an contagious passion for cooking good food and this is delivered in an ardent, warm, and informal teaching style.


Peter Bayless
Peter Bayless, winner of Masterchef 2006 will be a familiar face to many. Winning Masterchef resulted in a turnaround in Peter’s career in advertising, and he is now a successful food writer, teacher and independent chef. Peter’s passion for food is contagious and loves to share his belief with other in the endless possibilities that food holds for enriching the quality of our lives.



Erik Cavallin
After training as a chef in France Erik went to Geneva in Switzerland to work in prestigious hotels such as the Beau Rivage, President and Richmond all situated along Lac Leman. By the time he was 24 he was working as head chef at the Auberge du Cerf creating his own dishes and having articles written in newspapers and receiving awards. He then came to the UK where he worked at the Hungry Monk, sharing the head chef position with Ian Dowding before returning to Provence to open his own restaurant  ”Les Tournesols”.