Your Culinary Instructor
Denise Marchessault, cooking instructor and proprietor of French Mint, is classically trained in French cuisine. A Le Cordon Bleu graduate, Denise is a recipient of the Grand Diplôme in recognition of superior level qualifications in both cuisine and pastry. Denise’s enthusiasm for cooking will inspire you to expand your repertoire and discover the joy of cooking with culinary knowledge. Denise is a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals.
To read about Denise’s views on French food, read her article “In Defense of French Food” featured in EAT Magazine.
Guest Instructor
Chef Castro Boating, former executive Chef of The Aerie Resort and Spa, shares his wealth of experience through his cooking classes and personal chef service, specializing in unforgettable 5 star dinner parties. A native of Ghana, Chef Castro’s impressive list of culinary adventures include the prestigious Turnberry Resort in Scotland, the Fairmont Southampton Princess in Bermuda, and the Eden Dining Room at the Rimrock Resort in Banff Alberta. Chef Castro embraces seasonal, regional and organic cuisine and believes that each meal should be an unforgettable experience.
Guest Instructor
Mark Sinclair is a professional baker and the owner of “The Back Home Bakery” in Kalispell, Montana. Mark’s passion for baking was ignited as a teenager while on a family vacation in Switzerland. “I remember walking into the Konditoreien (confectionary shops) and Bäckereien (bakeries) and being blown away by the desserts and breads.” To see Mark in action, watch his online tutorials at The Back Home Bakery. Mark is visiting Victoria and will be sharing his bread making secrets at French Mint on March 30th.
Mark will teach an early afternoon class on croissants and a sourdough bread class in the evening.
Guest Instructor
Bill Jones is a French-trained chef who apprenticed at Michelin-starred restaurants in Alsace with stops in London, Hong Kong and Vancouver. On Vancouver Island he has manned the stoves at Sooke Harbour House and continues to cook, create and teach in his own professional kitchen at Deerholme Farm in Glenora. Bill is the celebrated author of nine cookbooks, including The Savoury Mushroom (Raincoast Books). Two of his recent books have won World Cookbook Awards, including his ode to local farmer’s markets Chef’s Salad (Whitecap Books). Jones is a renowned expert on Pacific Northwest foods, wild mushrooms, foraged plants and First Nations cooking.
Guest Instructor
Chef Akemi Akutsu was born and raised in Japan. Akemi’s love of food is deep-rooted; her family has cultivated rice, soybean and shiitake mushrooms for four generations and her parents own a busy restaurant in Tochigi, Japan. Akemi studied French cuisine at Vancouver Island University and apprenticed under celebrated Chef Takashi Murakami. Her courses reflect her respect for Japanese cuisine and her classical training. Akemi will delight you with “Yoshoku”; Japanese food in the western style.
Guest Instructor
Heidi Fink is a chef, food writer, and cooking class instructor, specializing in vegetarian and ethnic cuisines. Previously Executive Chef of the renowned restaurant ReBar Modern Food in Victoria, Heidi now shares her cooking expertise and enthusiasm through her classes and food articles. With these, Heidi hopes to inspire people in the kitchen and bring excitement to the everyday work of cooking and eating well.
www.chefheidifink.com
Guest Instructor
British born chef Dan Hayes is an avid fisherman and seafood enthusiast. Dan shares his passion for fish cookery and classical cuisine through his cooking classes in Victoria and abroad. Dan has worked for a number of celebrated seafood restaurants in Britain including Rick Stein’s restaurants, the Poissonnerie de l’Avenue and Fishworks in London. Dan enjoyed teaching cooking lessons at Whole Foods in-store cooking centre in London, England and looks forward to sharing his enthusiasm with fish lovers at French Mint.
Guest Instructor
Cookbook author and Mexican native chef Maria Elena Cuervo-Lorens shares her extensive knowledge of Mexico’s culinary traditions in her popular cooking classes. In her cookbooks, Mexican Cuisine and Mexican Culinary Treasures, Maria Elena translates a lifetime of recipes, including those handed down by her mother and grandmother. With her authentic recipes and passion for cooking, Maria Elena will delight you with the vibrant flavours of Mexico.