Tante Marie
Encyclopedia
Tante Marie School of Cookery is a cookery school
in Woking
, Surrey
, England
. It is the United Kingdom's oldest independent cookery school, established in 1954 by the cookery
writer Iris Syrett. It was the first school in the UK to offer a Cordon Bleu
Diploma, which continues to be the backbone of Tante Marie’s course structure today. Courses range in length from one day to the full-time one-year professional Cordon Bleu Diploma.
Iris Syrett died in 1964, after which Wendy Majerowicz became Principal. In 1967 the school moved to its current location, Woodham House on Carlton Road. John and Beryl Childs, who owned the school from 1982 onwards, continued the development of courses and curriculum into a programme that has become recognised as one of the world's leading independent providers of culinary training.
Marcella O’Donovan, one of the school's teachers, bought the school with the backing of her family when Beryl and John Childs retired in 1999. The O’Donovans oversaw the introduction of new courses to cater for the gap year
and the amateur cook market, while at the same time maintaining the school's professional emphasis.
In April 2008 the school was bought by its then Deputy Principal, Andrew Maxwell, along with Gordon Ramsay
Holdings and Lyndy Redding, a former graduate of the Intensive Cordon Bleu Diploma course who now owns Absolute Taste, a catering and events planning business based in London.
Cooking school
A cooking school or culinary school is an institution devoted to education in the art and science of food preparation. It also awards degrees which indicate that a student has undergone a particular curriculum and therefore displays a certain level of competency...
in Woking
Woking
Woking is a large town and civil parish that shares its name with the surrounding local government district, located in the west of Surrey, UK. It is part of the Greater London Urban Area and the London commuter belt, with frequent trains and a journey time of 24 minutes to Waterloo station....
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is the United Kingdom's oldest independent cookery school, established in 1954 by the cookery
Cooking
Cooking is the process of preparing food by use of heat. Cooking techniques and ingredients vary widely across the world, reflecting unique environmental, economic, and cultural traditions. Cooks themselves also vary widely in skill and training...
writer Iris Syrett. It was the first school in the UK to offer a Cordon Bleu
Le Cordon Bleu
Le Cordon Bleu is the world's largest hospitality education institution, with 35 schools on five continents serving 20,000 students annually. Its primary education focus is on hospitality management and the culinary arts...
Diploma, which continues to be the backbone of Tante Marie’s course structure today. Courses range in length from one day to the full-time one-year professional Cordon Bleu Diploma.
Iris Syrett died in 1964, after which Wendy Majerowicz became Principal. In 1967 the school moved to its current location, Woodham House on Carlton Road. John and Beryl Childs, who owned the school from 1982 onwards, continued the development of courses and curriculum into a programme that has become recognised as one of the world's leading independent providers of culinary training.
Marcella O’Donovan, one of the school's teachers, bought the school with the backing of her family when Beryl and John Childs retired in 1999. The O’Donovans oversaw the introduction of new courses to cater for the gap year
Gap year
An expression or phrase that is associated with taking time out to travel in between life stages. It is also known as sabbatical, time off and time out that refers to a period of time in which students disengage from curricular education and undertake non curricular activities, such as travel or...
and the amateur cook market, while at the same time maintaining the school's professional emphasis.
In April 2008 the school was bought by its then Deputy Principal, Andrew Maxwell, along with Gordon Ramsay
Gordon Ramsay
Gordon James Ramsay, OBE is a Scottish chef, television personality and restaurateur. He has been awarded 13 Michelin stars....
Holdings and Lyndy Redding, a former graduate of the Intensive Cordon Bleu Diploma course who now owns Absolute Taste, a catering and events planning business based in London.