I have attended two of Penny’s courses at The Culinary Cottage and have recommended them to friends and family. Penny’s style is informal and very hands on. Penny herself is very knowledgeable and you can ask her any question you like on all aspects of food preparation, cooking and what equipment is best. No time is wasted on the courses at The Culinary cottage and the big bonus is that you get to eat what you cook and you can bring home some delicious food and recipes to share with your family and friends.

Shelagh O’Loughlin

I was lucky enough to attend one of Penny Lewis’ five day courses in March 2012, it has changed the way I will cook for the rest of my life. What an inspiring course it was. It was not just the cooking but the very helpful handy hints and recipes.

Being there for five days I covered the whole spectrum of dishes and methods, from bread making, dinner parties, healthy nourishing meals, great cakes and wonderful desserts. Penny was able to fit in particular things I wished to try but did not have the confidence to try at home such as souffles and sauces for fish dishes.

My family where amazed and delighted when I arrived home with a wonderful selection of my dishes, they particularly appreciated the Hot Cross buns, which I went on to make many more batches before and after Easter.

I cannot praise Penny enough, she is a wonderful patient teacher, truly inspirational. This course had to be the nearest thing to a religious experience I have ever had. I left the course feeling I could cook anything!

Should you require any further information please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Kindest Regards,

Alyson Taylor

The Culinary Cottage is a wonderful cookery school, located at the foot of the picturesque Sugar Loaf mountain in Wales.  Set up and run single handily by the very enthusiastic Penny Lewis.

I have been on three courses so far and always come away inspired and looking forward to the next.
Penny has built up the reputation of her school by regularly giving demonstrations at local food festivals.  Forging links with suppliers and manufacturers such as Waitrose and Aga ensuring that she is linked with companies that share her vision for excellence.  She has also had articles in publications.

Her organisational skills are as impressive as her cookery skills.  The administration of this small and intimate cookery school is impressive and effective,  it could be used by much larger concern.  She has developed a very professional website and produces personalised cloth bags (used for students to take samples home) and recipe binders full of the wonderful recipes followed on the course.  Her advertising flyers are also of a superb quality.  She maintains her very high standards throughout all aspects of the cookery school.

A testament to Penny's wonderful cookery school is that I am always excited when booking a course.  It feels like such a treat/indulgence.  I count down the days as if going on a holiday.  I have enjoyed the courses so much that I have booked them for friends as a present.
The day is packed full of cooking ideas and tips, Penny's wealth of experience in catering for some very important clients and functions are reflected in the dishes.  Your day starts with a binder so full of recipes that you hardly believe all can be achieved on one day, but indeed we do. Penny has the talent of making the most difficult recipe simple.  She always provides such superb clear and relaxed encouraging guidance that the cooking is completed seemingly effortlessly.

You leave with a binder full of recipes (many of which have become firm favourites, used over and over) and a goody bag bulging with tasters of the food prepared on the day.  Your day can then be shared with partners/loved ones who are always delighted to see one of Penny's cloth bags full of treats.

Lisa Dutton
 

Having attended a few famous name Cookery schools, I was intrigued to sample The Culinary Cottage which was just a few miles away from my holiday home in Abergavenny.

Well, to my delight, I learnt more in that day than I did at all the others put together!!!

Penelope's cottage cookery school is as divine as she is delightful, I can see why she is in hot demand to the rich & famous - her repertoire could not fail to impress, one that she freely shares along with all the 'tricks of the trade'. She is not too 'chefy' either, I left the class with genuinely useful recipes and skills. 

The culinary cottage is beautiful all round - literally! Beautiful place,host,surroundings & of course food! Well done Penelope for pursuing your dream and sharing your secrets!

Tania Fossey

My friends Louise and Julia and I have been to two of Penny's cookery days (so far): Entertaining Made Easy and, just last weekend, Temptingly Thai. We were fortunate enough to have Penny all to ourselves on both occasions, and what a great time we had. Penny is extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and imparts that knowledge and enthusiasm with a smile and great patience! The Thai dishes we prepared were so flavoursome and fresh, and we left not only full of delicious food but also full of ideas and good intentions to buy lots of gorgeous Thai ingredients and have a go ourselves - though how we will fare without Penny's expert guidance remains to be seen ...