BY PHUMZILE NDLOVU
MBABANE – Ever wanted to cook like the French? Well, here is your chance!
The Alliance Française Mbabane Eswatini will host a French cuisine cooking class by Chef Pierre-Augustin from the Alain Ducasse school in Paris next Saturday (July 27, 2024), at a location that is shared after a reservation and payment.
The French cuisine lesson will run from 3pm until 6pm partaking in the lesson costs E350 per person, which includes complementary wine, recipes, and details of the exclusive location. Payment confirms registration. This was confirmed by Alliance Française Cultural Coordinator Karyn Groening yesterday (Thursday, July 18, 2024).
She said, “Join us for a delightful journey into French cuisine on Saturday, July 27th, at 3pm with Chef Pierre-Augustin, who will whisk up magic in the kitchen! Contact us at 7842 0920 to register. We only have eight spots.”
When reached for comment, the chef said, “I’m very happy to be here in the Kingdom of Eswatini to discover the culture and share some experiences during a short, unpretentious course where we’ll glimpse some French cooking techniques,” says Pierre. ”I’ve had a passion for cooking ever since I was a child. I have been working in a bakery in Paris, as a commis de cuisine in the south of France, and as a guide at Champagne Taittinger. Today I’m training at the Ducasse School, founded by Alain Ducasse, who is currently the most Michelin-starred chef in the world. He advocates healthy, simple, and good food.
He went on to say, “The kitchen is my happy place. It’s where we come together and it’s a moment of sharing that teaches us all humility and curiosity. There are as many ways of cooking that I have learned through my journey of discovering the culinary space. It’s versatile and diverse, which allows me to appreciate food and the creation process. We all have something to learn. New tastes and flavours, new techniques—each region offers new possibilities and makes its own contribution to the common heritage that is eating well.”
Groening shared with this publication the purpose of the cooking workshop and said, “As you know, Alliance Francaise is about promoting cultural diversity through various cultural events, the cooking workshop being one of them. The purpose of the cooking workshop is to encourage people to unbox themselves and discover who they are and their love for food. It’s a community space catered to networking and making genuine business and social relationships. Since you can’t travel to France all the time, we bring it to you with the French food we make. Most of all, it’s to create an unforgettable, wholesome experience.”
