First cooking club comes to the UK

23rd October 2009, 9:58am

Cookie, a new kind of eatery incorporating a deli and shop, is set to launch the UK's first cooking club in Glasgow's southside early next month.

In addition to operating as a traditional restaurant, Cookie will operate as cooking club, which means that members can rent it out for a whole host of occasions and cook for themselves, their friends or community group.

The aim of Cookie's founders, husband and wife team Domenico del Priore and Dr Melanie McCallum (pictured), is for the outlet to become a platform for local and national healthy eating programmes such as Epode and 'Lets get cooking' and an active supporter of responsible drinking and community education.

Mr Del Priore said: "Our cooking club is open to members only. So, if you're interested in cooking, art and design, then Cookie's the resource you've been waiting for. We'll be organising regular events thoughout the coming months with guest speaker and cooks and are currently organising regular exchange visits from our friends across Europe."

Cooking Club members can arrange to use the kitchen at Cookie, under the supervision of our chef Iain Walker. Amongst a range of benefits, members will receive discounts on produce, be alerted to all the latest product arrivals via Twitter or SMS and gain supervised access to Cookie's communal oven to bake their bread and cakes, as well as professional equipment to make their own ice cream and roaster to roast their own coffee.

Dr Melanie McCallum added: "Contrary to the impression given by some recent press reports, it is not our intention to allow all-comers to cook or use our kitchen facilities. Rather, we are launching a cooking club, supported and promoted by current UK health policy, whereby people who wish to gain access to our kitchen will go through an induction process and be supported and controlled in their usage.

"We have a keen and active interest in public health issues which extends to promoting good practice in cooking techniques. Indeed, this is a fundamental aim of our open kitchen.

"Cookie is founded on a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system and we adopt and promote 'Cook Safe', the Scottish Government Agency for food standards guideline. Our intention is to educate and promote healthy food practice; to share in the joy and knowledge of good food.

"We live in a society which often substitutes labels and certificates for sensible application of good practice. We are promoters of good practice and knowledge."