On The Diploma… December

As we discovered in our interview with student Ellie Spicer, who moved from the M&S fashion department into their food content team, the Leiths approach proves that once something is truly understood, it’s never forgotten. The focus is less on rote memory and far more on developing a deep understanding of flavour, building a robust repertoire of culinary skills and knowing the ‘why’ behind every technique. 

Since joining us in September, students have progressed from mastering foundational skills such as julienning vegetables, whisking meringue and achieving the perfect soft-boiled egg, to taking a whole fish, filleting it and pan-frying it to perfection. They have gone from simple cake-making techniques to putting together stylish, modern ‘naked’ celebration cakes, and have worked in groups to produce vibrant, inventive and beautifully balanced buffets. 

Their final couple of weeks before Christmas were enriched by inspiring guest demonstrations from chef, author and activist Olia Hercules, as well as the incredible Flygerians. And, naturally, no autumn at Leiths would be complete without a masterclass in preparing the most complex meal of the year: the Christmas lunch. The students have learnt about everything from vegan diets to seasonal game, from fresh pesto spaghetti to za’atar crusted prawns. 

Now that they truly know their choux from their shortcrust, the students will return, after a well-earned rest over Christmas, ready to take on the next exciting chapter of their Diploma.