What makes a good cookery teacher?
As a lifelong lover of learning, I am a keen observer of what makes a good teacher. When I started the intensive course at Ballymaloe Cookery School a few weeks ago, I was curious about the teaching of cooking. How would it differ from regular classroom or academic learning? And how do you teach practical skills and impart theoretical knowledge to 50 people from 12 countries, aged between 18 and 75, with wildly different levels of culinary ability? Well, the short answer is that the principles of good academic teaching are exactly the same in cookery school. Ballymaloe boasts a number of exceptional teaching chefs, and among the best are renowned Irish chefs and authors, Rory O'Connell (pictured above) and Rachel Allen (below). I have been observing them closely, and their style of teaching is definitely holding my attention and helping make me a much better cook (although Masterchef can rest assured it will never have to vet an application from me ...) So what does someone like Ro...