Wwwwoooowww…..Those of you who know me well, know that I am an absolute sweet tooth and would eat chocolate in the morning before I even open my eyes. Yes, Meggsi, Andrew and many others have plenty of sweet tooth stories to tell about me!! (for another day I do think….)
So when I met Kate Spina (nee Connor), who is an extraordinary chef with an even more incredible reputation and CV, I was very excited to hear that her passion and commitment these days was clearly directed toward being a pastry chef.
When Kate agreed to come to PCCS with her partner Alfie, it seemed like the perfect marriage to me. He being the Italian chef and her being the pastry chef – and what a duo to offer to our cooking school participants.
So when I met Kate Spina (nee Connor), who is an extraordinary chef with an even more incredible reputation and CV, I was very excited to hear that her passion and commitment these days was clearly directed toward being a pastry chef.
When Kate agreed to come to PCCS with her partner Alfie, it seemed like the perfect marriage to me. He being the Italian chef and her being the pastry chef – and what a duo to offer to our cooking school participants.
Kate Spina
To say Kate wowed me with her menus and her ideas is an understatement. I am not sure where to start – but I think one of our participants probably summed it up so well:
“Kate is certainly my type of chef. Her striving for perfection and her respect for ingredients and creations inspired me. Thank you for bringing her to Gippsland”
During the classes delivered by Kate, we were introduced to techniques and understanding about the ingredients that is truly not translated when reading a recipe. The dialogue, conversation and exchange of information was so valuable. She was so generous with sharing her knowledge. To me that was the sign of a true professional she is, who obviously wants to spread the love of food and cooking. Sometimes, when you meet people who are experts in their field they don’t like to share their expertise. That was certainly not Kate.
“Kate is certainly my type of chef. Her striving for perfection and her respect for ingredients and creations inspired me. Thank you for bringing her to Gippsland”
During the classes delivered by Kate, we were introduced to techniques and understanding about the ingredients that is truly not translated when reading a recipe. The dialogue, conversation and exchange of information was so valuable. She was so generous with sharing her knowledge. To me that was the sign of a true professional she is, who obviously wants to spread the love of food and cooking. Sometimes, when you meet people who are experts in their field they don’t like to share their expertise. That was certainly not Kate.
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I don’t want to scare people away thinking that the classes were only for budding chefs. Indeed quite the opposite. What was so wonderful was that Kate wanted to be able to make the delights of dessert and sweet treats VERY accessible to all of us in our home kitchen. She turned the magic round. It was so good to be able to ask the questions of how to fix things when they were not quite “like the picture”. It was also such a delight to feel comfortable that we could present stunning things, even for those of us who are beginners.
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After Kate’s first class I thought I may have met my match and I may not be able eat another thing. As one of my beautiful goddaughters pointed out to me on Facebook…..I have always said that the “Dessert tummy never gets full“. Well, Charlotte my darling, I am right – after a little rest I was able to go back and eat more wonderful decadent desserts!
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Kate also presented our very first Plough Creek Cooking School's, “Kids in the Kitchen” class. Ricotta gnocchi, pea and baby bocconcini salad and nutty oaty choccy biccies were created by our first “batch” of budding cooks.
Kate with Hayley, Becky and Max
Kate's menus included:
Decadent Desserts
Chocolate mousse
Semi freddo
Choux pastry
Nut praline
Sweet Treats
Macarons
Financiers
Chocolate truffles
Vienna almonds
Chouquettes
Kate is currently working at Black Star Pastry
Kate – You are always welcome to come live with us and keep me in chocolate heaven!! THANK YOU so much for your generosity of spirit, professionalism and for showing us how to use one ingredient, in so many ways! DC xx
Decadent Desserts
Chocolate mousse
Semi freddo
Choux pastry
Nut praline
Sweet Treats
Macarons
Financiers
Chocolate truffles
Vienna almonds
Chouquettes
Kate is currently working at Black Star Pastry
Kate – You are always welcome to come live with us and keep me in chocolate heaven!! THANK YOU so much for your generosity of spirit, professionalism and for showing us how to use one ingredient, in so many ways! DC xx
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