Learn to Cook Welsh Fusion Food with a Master

Hands-on Italian-Welsh Cooking Classes with Chef Franco Taruschio

Nov 5, 2009

Chef Franco Taruschio, O.B.E., Betsa Marsh

For 37 years, Chef Franco Taruschio and his English wife Ann ran Wales' Walnut Tree, earning a Michelin star and an OBE for the chef. Now he teaches eager students.

Taruschio, so famous his photo hangs in the National Portrait Gallery, has partnered with food journalist and cook Lindy Wildsmith to teach classes at The Chef’s Room. The classroom is part of Vin Sullivan in Blaenavon, South Wales.

Vin Sullivan has been supplying the restaurant trade around the world since 1960, and is a source for everything from air-cured meats to coffee, cheese, fresh fish, seaweed, quail, locusts and Welsh Brew teas.

Many of the classes are hands-on in the large demonstration kitchen, with students preparing, cook and eating their creations. Classes are small, limited to 15, and cooks can buy their ingredients from the Vin Sullivan retail shop next door.

Catch Chef Franco Taruschio's Master Class on Fish

In the Saturday morning class on Jan. 23, 2010, for instance, Chef Taruschio will teach “Simple Fish Skills,” including how to gut, fillet, skin and cut fish, and how to follow the seasons with fish selection. Students will learn to cook sea bass and cure such fish as red mullet, mackerel or anchovies. The recipe for a special occasion will be salmon spiked with orange and rhubarb.

Taruschio, a native of the Marche region of Italy, attended the catering collage in Como, North Italy, and trained in Bellagio.

“I left Italy at age 16,” he said as he made Laverbread and Cockle Fritters. “I was 24 and a half when I started the Walnut Tree with my wife. The Welsh are very warm, wonderful, talented people. We’ve worked together, we’ve sweated together.”

Master Chef Taruschio Combines Italian and Welsh Delicacies

Semi-retired, Taruschio still consults and teaches in Wales and Italy. He combines classic Italian ingredients, such as truffles, Parmesan cheese and wine and olive from his village, Montefano, with traditional fresh ingredients of his adopted country.

He makes a gratin of oysters, for instance, with Welsh laverbread, a black seaweed that comes frozen in a plastic pouch. Laverbread is often mixed into bread, but Taruschio blends it with Welsh seafood.

Laverbread and Cockle Fritters

150 g self-rising flour
1 egg
25 g Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. laverbread
125 g shelled cooked cockles
1 liter sunflower oil

Make a batter with the flour, egg, salt and pepper and a little water, add the grated parmesan cheese, then add the laverbread and cockles. Mix together well and deep-fry by the dessert spoonful in hot sunflower oil. Transfer to kitchen paper to drain and serve at once.

Upcoming Hands-On Italian-Welsh Cooking Sessions with Chef Taruschio

Nov. 7, New Winter Cooking
Dec. 12, Perfect parties
Jan. 16, Quick and easy
Feb. 6, Welsh Italian fusion
March 13, Season’s eating
March 27, The feast of Easter.

To Reserve a Cooking Class Spot with Chef Franco Taruschio, OBE

To book a Welsh cooking class with Chef Taruschio, contact Lindy Wildsmith.

Click for an Italian cooking class with Chef Taruschio.

Penderyn is Wales' one and only whiskey, perfect to pair with some of Chef Taruschio's dishes.

Visit Wales has more information about the country and culture of Wales.

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