Our Teachers
Anne
Harnan
Anne is our star Home Economist. She has worked on the last five Mary Berry cook books and has also contributed to the BBC’s ‘MasterChef Cookery Course’ and ‘MasterChef at Home’ amongst countless others.
As an accomplished demonstrator, she has taught at Jean-Christophe Novelli’s Academy, and regularly appears onstage at food festivals using local and seasonal foods, and promoting family cooking for the kids to get involved with too.
Simone
Scola
Simone
Scola, was born in Falcade, Italian
Dolomites where he trained for 5 years.
He worked at Michelin starred Tivoli
in Cortina D’ampezzo and Locanda Delle
Tamerici. Simone moved to London in
2007 where he worked at Zafferano in
Knightsbridge and Orrery in Marylebone.
He began his gastro pub experience at the
Landsdowne in Primerose Hill. Enjoying
this scene he joined The Hermit in 2013 and now works as freelance.
Holly
Merry
Holly is our secret weapon for vegan bakes.
6 years vegan, 4 years working in vegan kitchens, she considers cakes and delicious bakes a tool to make any bad day a little better:
that's where the name of her business Dopa Delights comes from.
The Dopa is the part of the brain where Dopamine is created, and Holly's cakes not only make her happy, she also hopes to share that happiness with others through her classes and creations.
David
Batala
Meet David Batala, a seasoned private chef with over 15 years of experience and a deep love for the art of cooking. David's culinary journey has taken him on a remarkable path, including working in Michelin-starred restaurants. Through his diverse experiences, David has refined his skills, mastering the delicate balance of flavors and techniques that make every dish a masterpiece. With David's warm and patient guidance, you'll uncover the secrets behind creating delicious meals while exploring your own creativity in the kitchen.
Adel
Gascoigne
Adel is a qualified baker and nutritionist. With over 20 years of experience in baking and cake decorating, Adel has learned to balance her passions for creating beautiful cakes and sweet treats with a holistic approach to living. As a member of the British Sugarcrafters Guild and a skilled cake maker, Adel pays meticulous attention to detail and infuses love and patience into each intricate element of her creations.
Anthony Gascoigne
Anthony is Course Team Leader of Hospitality and Catering at North Hertfordshire College.
Having worked in the food industry for 25 years he brings a wealth of knowledge to his role.
He is also Times Educational Supplement 2021 FE teacher of the year, Craft Guild of Chefs Culinary Hero 2021 and 2022, and Craft Guilds Chef Lecturer Award nominee.
More to come soon...