Fresh from Akaroa

Lou and Ant Bentley established the Akaroa Cooking School in 2009, after years of balancing corporate lives with their passion for food and squeezing in training at Chiang Mai Thai Cookery School and the New Zealand School of Food and Wine. They wanted to teach people how to get back to basics - growing their own food where possible, but certainly knowing where it comes from and how best to prepare and cook it - while still having fun! They live with their two children one bay around from Akaroa, and grow all their own herbs, salad greens and veges for the school. "The morning before each class we always head outside with the baskets and load up on whatever is fresh and ripe at the time. Even in the depths of winter we can still harvest beetroot, parsnips, carrots and lemons, and there is never a shortage of walnuts. The garden also supplies us with fresh flowers and foliage throughout the year to brighten up the cooking school."