Victoria and a passion for organic seasonal fresh products
An Australian Cook in Herefordshire
Victoria O’Neill gave up being a librarian when she discovered she could cook for a living. After training at the Cordon Bleu in London she has cooked professionally all over Britain, Italy, America, and back in her native Australia.
Her cooking classes have been established at Pyon House, near Canon Pyon in rural Herefordshire, since 1997, after moving here from Sydney, where Cooking with Class began in 1982. In between Sydney and Hereford Victoria had a cookware shop in Oxford where she also ran cooking classes.
Passion for cooking and growing organic seasonal fresh produce
The large family kitchen where the classes take place overlooks a beautiful courtyard kitchen garden. A keen gardener too, Victoria has filled the kitchen garden with herbs, vegetables, flowers, and fruit which are all used in the lessons whenever possible. She keenly encourages her students to plant their own herbs, plant seeds of parsley, rocket and chervil which you can never have too much of and just have a go at gardening- grow some unusual vegetables and salads no matter how small your gardening space.
The emphasis has always been on using ingredients that are easy to find and of the best possible quality. Herefordshire is a great food producing county which makes sourcing the best quality seasonal ingredients very accessible to all. Victoria is willing to share her sources with everyone.
She is a perfectionist in the kitchen but is equally aware that people’s lifestyles today leave them thinking they have little time to cook. She tackles this problem in every class with ideas for quick meals and a passion not to compromise on quality or flavour. Stylish simple recipes are taught along with essential cooking techniques and organisational skills.
Demonstration and practical cookery classes
In addition to the regular “demonstration and practical cookery classes”:, Victoria is very happy to arrange special “one-off” classes or courses – these could be one-to-one practical tuition, private parties or occasions, or demonstrations for groups of up to 30 people. If you are part of a local group or WI or would like a corporate cooking class event please ring to discuss what you have in mind.
Available at all the classes is a wide selection of quality cookware (as used and recommended by Victoria herself) and speciality ingredients.
Guest chefs
As well as giving her own classes, Victoria has regularly invited guest chefs to give their own classes at Pyon House. Past guests have included local restauranters Bill Sewell, Shaun Hill and Chris Bradley and Franco Taruschio. Also the doyen of cookery teachers, Mary Berry as well as Paul Merry, the noted bread maker and Anne Jennings who specialises in Indian Cookery. Cooking with Class visitors have also benefited from the knowledge and skills of Victoria’s excellent butcher and fishmonger. Italians Andrea Tiberi and Antonio Petruzzi who have run cookery courses in Italy for Victoria have also been to Pyon House to give classes here.
