Watch out London, there’s a new kid in town. And guess what, she can cook! The Cook Club brands itself as being a ‘new kind of night out, one where you can learn how to cook, meet people and eat a dinner than you had a part in making’. Essentially, a combination of cookery class, pop up restaurant and night-on-the-ritz-pregame, The Cook Club is my idea of a bloody good Saturday night out.
I went along to check out its launch; the charmingly entitled ‘America F*** Yeah!’ evening. On the menu was a whole rostra of those things I will happily gobble down if dished to me somewhere red, white and blue, but that wouldn’t be accustomed to my own kitchen. Devilled eggs, buffalo chicken wings, smoky coca-cola (say whaat) pork ribs and corn bread, to name but a few. Hayley, The Cook Club’s young (and rather smokin’ herself) host took us through each recipe, cheerily demonstrating the ins and outs of them and disclosing a few choice tips along the way (microwaving limes to get more juice out….who knew?!).
I went along to check out its launch; the charmingly entitled ‘America F*** Yeah!’ evening. On the menu was a whole rostra of those things I will happily gobble down if dished to me somewhere red, white and blue, but that wouldn’t be accustomed to my own kitchen. Devilled eggs, buffalo chicken wings, smoky coca-cola (say whaat) pork ribs and corn bread, to name but a few. Hayley, The Cook Club’s young (and rather smokin’ herself) host took us through each recipe, cheerily demonstrating the ins and outs of them and disclosing a few choice tips along the way (microwaving limes to get more juice out….who knew?!).
 | All this instruction worked up an appetite, an appetite that was happily sated by the night’s finale: a feast of all the food we’d cooked up over the evening. Ribs dripping off the bone, fresh watermelon salad, crispy wings with tart blue cheese and a sweet puff of strawberry shortcake, all washed down with bottomless Mint Juleps. Combine this with the Club’s BYOB policy and you get a somewhat…convivial evening. Hiccup. |
 Wings |  Ribs |  Corn, coriander, queso fresco |
| Besides from the excellent food, charming and host and decent central location, I enjoyed the ethos of the class. Literally every ingredient’s provenance could be and was emphasised – pork ribs from a farm shop in Surrey, corn and strawberries that Hayley had picked herself that very day, Queso Fresco from Peckham based dairy, Gringa Dairy: a responsible touch to an unapologetically pleasure-seeking night. |  Hayley herself 😀 |
I look forward to Hayley and The Cook Club’s future events. In the pipeline, I hear, are Perfect Sunday Roast and a Game of Thrones themed evening! Well…if winter is coming, Cook Club, so am I.
http://cargocollective.com/thecookclub
@cookclubtweets
Book through Grub Club, @grub_club
http://www.grubclub.com/the-cook-club-the-cook-club-soft-launch/492
http://cargocollective.com/thecookclub
@cookclubtweets
Book through Grub Club, @grub_club
http://www.grubclub.com/the-cook-club-the-cook-club-soft-launch/492
