People are talking, their social media following is growing and the doors will soon be open. Local chefs Lewis Donegan and Adam Newth have teamed up and are bringing to the heart of an evolving Dundee, the first of its kind facility for the area, The Dundee Cooking Academy.
Work will soon start on what once was Toymaster and Nappy Pin, with the Commercial Street premises set to be turned into a fun, interactive and educational experience. Budding cooks of all levels of ability can visit The Dundee Cooking Academy to improve their skills and knowledge, create culinary masterpieces from scratch, socialise and meet new people in a fun and stress-free environment.
Leading Chef Tutor Lewis Donegan is Dundee born and bred and started his cooking career in local hotels and then went on tour around Scotland crafting his skills in some of the country’s most prestigious restaurants.
Lewis has enjoyed a great career teaching at a top cook school, lecturing Professional Cookery at college as well as working in top Michelin Star restaurants, cooking lunch for her Majesty the Queen and trying his hand at Masterchef: The Professionals.
Lewis has also been involved with demonstrations in local Dundee high schools for Seafood Scotland, charitable dinners within the Maggie’s Centre Dundee and helped produce the Camperdown Tearoom for D&A College.
Chef Tutor Adam Newth started his career training at Angus College in Arbroath, his hometown. He then moved around the country working in a number of prestigious hotels and restaurants, honing his craft under the tutelage of some of the country’s greatest chefs before returning to his local roots.
Adam has enjoyed considerable success in culinary competitions and is building up a healthy collection of titles. In 2013, he was awarded the prestigious titles of Young Scottish Chef of the Year and Young Scottish Seafood Chef of the Year.
Most recently he received the RR Spink Sustainable Trout Chef of the Year 2015 award and looks forward to the challenge of competing for further accolades. In 2015 Adam opened the Tayberry restaurant in Broughty Ferry where he has won many awards such as ‘Best Fine Dining Restaurant’, retaining 2 AA Rosettes and recognised by Michelin.
The chefs will host sessions to suit all from people who can’t chop an onion to seasoned chefs looking for new ideas. Sessions will vary in times depending if you choose a one, two or three course session.
Some of the sessions on offer are ‘Steak Perfection’, ‘Art of Knives’, ‘The Ultimate Roast Dinner’, ‘Scottish Highlights’ and ‘Forgotten Foods’. There will be vegetarian, gluten free and kids sessions also available throughout the year.
They will also be hosting parent sessions, ‘dem and dine’ sessions and guest chef sessions. This could even be a new twist work night outs and corporate events.
Sessions will be stress-free and fun, with detailed demonstrations, hands on cooking, lots of top tips and even the offer of a glass of wine or beer. You can sit down and tuck into your food as soon as it’s made. It’s also a great opportunity to ask questions, get advice, meet new people and improve your skills.
The Dundee Cooking Academy does not stop there.
The chefs have worked on an idea using some of the space available within Commercial Street and are also creating an eatery they have cleverly named ‘Tayble’.
The ethos behind ‘Tayble’ is to create a warm and welcoming environment where diners can relax casually, while enjoying great food and great company. The chefs have combined their culinary experience and produced a menu of tasty food at affordable prices.
The lunch menu will consist of a starter, main and dessert idea and the evening service will be run more like a ‘supper club’, using the best of locally sourced produce to create a unique set menu. ‘Tayble’ menus and ‘Academy’ sessions will also match upon skills and ideas.
Lewis said: “We hope this new idea for Dundee is exciting for everyone as it is for us. There is no facility like this for miles around and cooking is becoming very fashionable so in keeping with the trend we hope our venture provides people with an amazing environment to get involved.”
Find out more by visiting The Dundee Cooking Academy website.