The phrase ‘Team Building’ is one that can strike fear into the hearts into those who have to participate in whatever a company has planned in order to strengthen workplace relationships.
Many activities planned can lack imagination and be tedious to participate in.
Luckily, this wasn’t the case when the YOMA team headed to London for L'atelier des Chefs’ corporate cooking classes, to be taught how to cook up a success in the kitchen.
The first thing we should note is just how accommodating and understanding the team at L’atelier de Chefs are. Our first attempt to travel to London involved us bonding in a different way; rather than working as a team to create fine cuisine, we spent the day on the train, delayed for over three hours due to flooding on the lines to London. Not a problem though as the chefs happily rescheduled for us and didn’t even charge us for cancelling at the last minute. Sadly for us, that day we replaced fine dining with the refreshments courtesy of Virgin trains to apologise for the service.
However, when we finally made it to our rescheduled appointment it was well and truly worth the wait. With attentive chefs, fresh ingredients and a relaxed atmosphere, it was an enjoyable experience from the second we walked in right up until the end when we were tucking into the dish we created; shredded chicken, pickled daikon and peanut pancakes.
Located in London’s Oxford Circus and St Paul’s, L’atelier de Chefs offers a wide range of cuisines and courses; from 30 minutes to 4 hours catering for both kitchen novices and cooking enthusiasts. From Moroccan and French cuisine to Macaroon and Sushi Making, there’s something for everyone. We decided to opt for the Street Food class which gives you the option to create masterpieces from Thailand, Japan or India in under half an hour – enough time to get back to the office with it and feel smug as you tuck into your culinary delight at your desk .
Even though the class is only 30 minutes, not once do we feel rushed and all the chefs are attentive and knowledgeable. You leave confident that you’ll be able to recreate the dish at home thanks to their simple step by step guidance.
While cooking can sometimes seem like a chore when you’re at home after a long day at work, this was complete opposite. It was fun, fast and hugely enjoyable. It’s easy to see why their corporate classes are favoured by big companies such as Google, Vodafone and London Business School who have all sent their employees to bond in the kitchens at L’atelier de Chefs.
The environment makes it convenient for those working in London to call in and learn a new skill on their lunch hour and get a tasty meal to eat too. It’s certainly better than spending your break queuing up in Pret for a sandwich, that’s for sure.
