Donnie Montgomery January 2, 2019

We went along to the Edinburgh New Town Cookery School (ENTCS) in 2018 to sample their Vietnamese Cuisine day course and had a fantastic day.  Now, Edinburgh locals looking to go meat or dairy free as a New Year resolution are being supported to kick-start their diet, thanks to two new courses at ENTCS, including a new vegan course.

The school – which offers professional cookery training, leisure courses and group hospitality experiences – has introduced a vegan cookery course alongside its popular vegetarian one, to help those looking to make long-term dietary changes in 2019.

With a large rise in people turning to a plant based diet, the vegan course focuses on ensuring new vegans have a good base knowledge of the nutrition required to maintain a healthy body. Attendees will learn a selection of recipes and techniques to prevent the diet becoming boring, including how to make tofu, mocha brownies and a classic, egg free mayonnaise.

The vegetarian course is aimed at people who are new to the diet, those who have been following it for a while but who would like new ideas, or those who are cooking for vegetarians and in need of inspiration. Attendees on this full-day course make dishes in the morning such as spring quinoa salad, Malaysian vegetarian laksa and mushroom pithivier, which are then enjoyed for lunch in the afternoon.

ENTCS Principal, Fiona Burrell, said:

It’s that time of year when we all begin making resolutions to change our lives for the better. Over the past few years, there has been a rapid increase in people choosing a vegetarian or vegan diet for their health, rather than a quick fix for weight loss, as they go into the New Year. For those who have made the decision but are finding the idea of a long-term diet change somewhat daunting, our 2019 vegetarian and vegan courses are the ideal way to ease yourself in and get a little help with planning and preparing exciting meals which are also highly nutritious

ENTCS is a professional cookery school based in Edinburgh’s New Town. The school was founded by Fiona Burrell, formerly Principal of Leith’s School of Food and Wine. She began her career in Edinburgh and has been teaching professional cookery courses for thirty years. With courses on offer from one day tasters for amateurs, to six-month professional courses, many graduates have gone on to work in some of the UK’s top kitchens.

The vegan course runs in March and the vegetarian in April. Further information on Edinburgh New Town Cookery School and the full calendar of courses is available at www.entcs.co.uk.