Fresh Flavours from Culinary Institution

Stamford Brook move marks a new beginning for Leiths

The new year marked a new start for culinary institution Leiths who opened their doors to their new Wendell Road premises last week.

The new site, which is almost three times the size of the previous one, provides the internationally renowned school with improved accommodation and state of the art kitchen facilities.

Started in 1975 by Prue Leith, the school is now owned and run by Caroline Waldegrave who, in a recent interview with a Sunday newspaper, spoke of her belief that there has been a general shift in the esteem in which we hold food and cooking.

"Jamie Oliver has had a big influence in that way, but things were changing before he came on the scene," she said, "People are so interested in food now and that's good for everyone."

Former Leiths graduates include Henry Harris of Soho House and Camilla France-Hayhurst and Natalie Bayliss who combined nutritional ethics with luxury to create the highly acclaimed local company Turnham Green

January 16, 2008