Wickedfood Earth Country Cooking School is located on a sustainable working farm, following organic farming philosophies, ±70km from Johannesburg and Pretoria. The Country Cooking School offers tailor-made cooking classes and food events for both individuals and groups and includes a functions venue. All cooking classes are hands-on, where every person gets to participate in the preparation of the food. Not only do you learn new skills in our cooking classes, they are also a lot of fun where you get to meet people with similar interests in a fun and safe environment.
For booking at the Country Cooking School contact Cilla – 076 236-2345 : earth@wickedfood.co.za (click here for directions from Fourways).
Comments from some of our past clients:
“Just wanted to say the guys had a ball on Saturday! The staff were great. I never knew a bunch of IT guys could enjoy and excell at cooking that much. The food was very good and everyone(especially the partners/spouses) enjoyed it tremendously. Thanks again for all your arrangements!” – Appsolve
“Best experience ever! The team were professional and made the cooking experience super fun. As a team we all agree that it was the dopest team building experience.” – Sandra B
“Thank you for the day yesterday. Everything went smoothly. The team and I had a fantastic time, the ambience and food was perfect the Wickedfood team was welcoming and fun to work with. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Please pass my gratitude to the rest of the Wickedfood team.” – Deloitte
“Just to give you some feedback from the group at RAND MERCHANT BANK. They have had very positive feedback and I have already had another lead within the company to do a similar teambuild for another division. I look forward to working with you and your team as it was very professional and the client has been raving since they got back to the office.” – RMB
“The team were awesome! Thanks for making it fun. I think I can handle Jamie Oliver now
Some great tips and good food.” – Anne N
“The ‘Team’ at Den Braven would like to thank you and the Wickedfood Earth Country Cooking School team for facilitating a well organised and executed team building cooking experience last Friday that saw only ‘winners’.
Comrade was felt in the kitchen as we prepared what seemed like challenging recipes at first but the final result was simpler than we had anticipated with the assistance of yourself, Cilla and your excellent team of cooking facilitators. It was great to see everyone involved in some aspect of the cooking.
We certainly managed to communicate as a team in the kitchen. We would not hesitate to recommend Wickedfood Earth Country Cooking School to any company looking for a team building day.” – Lance Anderson, Den Braven
Photo Gallery
Here is a sample of photographs of some of the groups we have hosted at Wickedfood Earth Country Cooking School in the past.
Delicious cooking at Wickedfood Earth Country Cooking School
A delicious day of camaraderie with Standard Bank and Liberty, cooking up an Italian feast in the Country at Wickedfood Earth Country Cooking School. Dishes cooked included hand made pasta with a fresh tomato sauce; Devil’s Chicken, butterflied then cooked on an open fire; Eggplant and pepper stew; and the all time favorite Tiramisu.
[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”31″ display=”basic_thumbnail”]Tastes of Spain fun team building event with Nampak
Delicious Tastes of Spain cooking class with Nampak for a fun team building event at Wickedfood Earth Country Cooking School. Dishes included:
- Tortilla Espanola a popular Spanish frittata with potato,
- Chicken in an almond sauce,
- Chickpea and vegetable stew with spinach,
- Poor mans’ potatoes with peppers,
- Summer salad with a Spanish dressing of gherkins and egg, and
- Orange and almond tart with an orange syrup.
Medtronic cooking a Wicked Indian feast
An Indian feast cooked by the Medtronic Team at Wickedfood Earth Country Cooking School – samoosas, grilled chicken with a Tikka Masala marinade, potato and cauliflower curry, tomato and onion salad, roti, and rice pudding.
Cooking with students from the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Bra Italy
Students from Europe, Brazil, the Middle East, Japan, Taiwan and Somalia, all studying for a masters degree at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Bra Italy, spent the day with us at Wickedfood Earth Country Cooking School, sharing ideas about sustainable food production. Founded in 2004 by Slow Food, the University of Gastronomic Sciences’ goal is to create an international research and education center for those working on renewing farming methods, protecting biodiversity, and building an organic relationship between gastronomy and agricultural science.
Together we cooked up a storm of South Africa’s best known dishes, reflecting our historic diversity, and also showcasing the crossover of flavours among the various food traditions – Samoosas, Bobotie, Chakalaka, Pumpkin fritters, kop, pens & pootjies, Umgqusho (samp and beans), and Malva pudding. What a fun group, so eager for knowledge.
Rawson cooks Vietnamese
Another delicious event at Wickedfood Earth Country Cooking School, with Rawson, cooking up the fresh flavours of Vietnamese cuisine, including fresh spring rolls, spicy soy chicken, river rice and Coconut crème caramel, an Asian twist to a french classic.
Autumn Pedi Lamb Feast 13 May 2018
Building on the success of the last Pedi event at Wickedfood Earth Country Cooking School, the cooking school held its second Pedi Lamb Feast 13 May 2018 to showcase that veld-raised Pedi lamb and mutton have more flavour than most lamb from the famed Karoo meat. Using unique cooking methods and seasonal produce we created a memorable autumn feast. A fun time was had by all.
Now we are cooking – Glencore
A fun-filled day cooking in the country at Wickedfood Earth Country Cooking School preparing a delicious Spanish inspired meal with the Glencore Rustenburg team.
A day of Country cooking with Team Den Braven
Wickedfood Earth Country Cooking School’s first function for 2018 where we had the privilege of hosting the Den Braven team for the day, first for a presentation and light brunch, followed by a fun filled cooking class and 7 dish late lunch.
Students form University of Gastronomic Sciences in Bra Italy
A full day of cooking with students from the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Bra Italy. Founded in 2004 by Slow Food, its goal is to create an international research and education center for those working on renewing farming methods, protecting biodiversity, and building an organic relationship between gastronomy and agricultural science.
What a fun group, so eager for knowledge. Had a serious discussion about food sustainability. And we cooked up a storm of South African classics – samoosas, babotie, Chakalaka, Pumpkin fritters, vetkoek, and the best ever Malva pudding.
(Photographs courtesy of Raimondo Cusmano, University of Gastronomic Sciences)
Country Cooking with PayU
Fun country cooking at Wickedfood Earth Country Cooking School – crunchy vegetable fritters with Wickedfood red pepper, chilli and eggplant relish; Vietnamese soy cooked Caramel chicken; Chakalaka with seasonal farm vegetables; Fried rice; butternut salad; and just picked farm peaches grilled and served with double thick homemade yogurt and honey.
Thai Street Food Party with Deloitte
A team of close to 70 members of Deloitte & Touche spent the day at Wickedfood Earth Country Cooking School cooking up Thai inspired street food menu. The group was divided into 6 teams, each team is in charge of a food stall – to prepare, cook and present a dish for the whole group to eat and enjoy at the end.
SBV cooking a mean Thai Curry
Not only do they know how to move money around the country but the SBV Team cooked a mean Thai meal at our Country Cooking School – Fresh spring rolls, Spicy chicken curry using Wickedfood Earth’s home-made curry paste, fried rice, vegetable fritters and fruity tapioca cream. Delicious, thanks guys.
Fun End of year function with Lesa
Another successful end of year function at Wickedfood Earth Country Cooking School. What fun it is working with a group of enthusiastic cooks, all out for a fun day of cooking and eating in the country. They cooked a French inspired meal with chicken and onions braised in white wine, just picked beans, mealie breads and our famous baked fruit and yoghurt sponge pudding.
A Fun day of team building with Regent Insurance at Wickedfood Earth Country Cooking School
Regent Insurance spent a team building day of fun, cooking traditional Thai dishes for a Thai Street Party at Wickedfood Earth Country Cooking School. Each team was in charge of a food stall – to prepare, cook and present a dish for the whole group to eat and enjoy at the end. Wickedfood Earth Country Cooking School is able to accommodate up to 80 participants in our Street Food cooking classes, with this group divided into 8 teams .
Spencer Stuart Johannesburg Fun day at Wickedfood Earth Country Cooking School
Our Country Cooking School welcomed Spencer Stuart Johannesburg for a fun end of year cooking class with seasonal vegetables, including dry-aged veld-raised beef sirloin. Divided into 2 teams, the dishes they made included a kettle-braaied roast beef, oven roasted chips and a cool cucumber soup.
Autumn Feast with Slow Food at Wickedfood Earth Country Cooking School
In April 2016, in conjunction with Slow Food Magalies Valley, Wickedfood Earth Country Cooking School hosted an Autumn Feast to showcase the 2015/16 season’s bounty grown in our beautiful valley. The meal was built around our flavourful antibiotic and growth hormone-free veld-raised pork that has become synonymous with Wickedfood Earth Farm.
Over the past 4 years Wickedfood Earth Farm have bred over 300 pigs in a totally free-range system. Although our research project has come to an end we keep a small nucleus breeding group for our own consumption, for training, and limited sales. Click here for more on our pig project.
The Menu for the day included:
- a selection of our own charcuterie, mezzes made from our own vegetables, and homemade bread;
- a spicy pork ragout on a bed of our first season of blue sweet potatoes;
- 2 cuts of slow roasted pork, slow roasted crispy pork belly and slow braised pork cheek, accompanied by a selection of locally grown autumn vegetables;
- a tasting platter of the past season’s preserved fruit with local double cream.
Amity Wealth Fun day at Wickedfood Earth Country Cooking School
Our Country Cooking School welcomed Amity Wealth for a fun team building cooking class with seasonal vegetables, including a selection of our peppers and chillies. Divided into 2 teams, the dishes they made included a spicy coconut and butternut soup, red pepper and tomato soup, a delicious chicken curry, and fruit crumble.
Valentines Day at Wickedfood Earth Country Cooking School – 2016
A great Valentines weekend in the country at Wickedfood Earth Country cooking school. Over the weekend 32 couples cooked up a storm and enjoyed a romantic 4-course lunch banquet. More ….
Bridle Shower Paleo function
Wickedfood Earth Country Cooking School welcomed a group of young ladies who wanted to spend the day with a special friend who is getting married shortly. We developed a special Paleo menu, a flour less quiche as a welcome snack, cold tomato soup, quick roast chickens, spicy Cauliflower Couscous, vegetables and Cream molds with fresh fruit, a truly delicious menu.
Laerskool Bakenkop end of year function
48 teachers form Laerskool Bakenkop enjoyed a day out in the country at Wickedfood Earth Country Cooking School. What a fun group of people. They were divided into 4 teams, each team coming up with a unique 6 dish menu from our mystery basket of seasonal vegetables and free-range chicken. The North African menu was definitely the stand-out menu for the day – Spicy Chilled yoghurt and cucumber soup; Chicken tagine with lemons and olives; Couscous; and North African carrot salad with coriander.
Joint Prosperity enjoying a fun team-building cooking class
Wickedfood Earth Country Cooking School recently hosted Joint Prosperity for a fun team-building cooking class day. 3 teams cooked up a storm from our mystery basket of seasonal vegetables and chicken. The winning dish had to be the cucumber yoghurt soup, a sure winner for the hot weather we are experiencing at the moment.
TOMRA SORTING Cooking up a storm
Wickedfood Earth Country Cooking School was proud to recently host TOMRA SORTING for a fun team-building cooking class day. It was TOMRA’S large diamond recovery machine that recently recovered the second largest gem quality diamond in history and the largest ever to be recovered through a modern processing facility.
Prue Leith Chefs’ Academy
At the beginning of September 2015, 31 aspiring young chefs and their instructors from Prue Leith Chefs’ Academy joined us at Wickedfood Earth Country Cooking School for a day of fun for our popular pork butchery workshop. We started off with a hands-on demonstration on how to break down a pig, and a discussion on the various cuts of meat and their uses/cooking methods. The group was divided into 3 teams, with each team getting a different cut and having to prepare a main course.
- The red team prepared a delicious BBQ deboned leg of pork, simply rubbed with salt, herbs and oil, served with stir-fried winter vegetables, proving that less is more when working with top quality meat;
- The tan team chose a very South African theme, pork kebabs, made from the shoulder, with pumpkin fritters and Jerusalem artichoke mash;
- The green team produced a deboned rolled loin of pork with crackling, confit green garlic, braised cabbage and sweet potato chips.
At the end of the cooking session everyone sat down to enjoy the the dishes they prepared for a relaxing lunch.
HTA School of Culinary Art
42 budding chefs from HTA School of Culinary Art, spent the day in the country at Wickedfood Earth Country Cooking School. This is an outing that the HTA students really look forward to.
The day started off with a hands-on demonstration on how to break down a pork carcass, together with a discussion on the various cuts of meat and their uses/cooking methods. The group was divided into 4 teams, with each group having to:
- plate a starter from Wickedfood Earth’s cured meats and preserves; and
- plan and cook a main course, with a cut of pork (each group got a different cut), and 2 side dishes utilising seasonal ingredients.
At the end of the cooking session everyone sat down to enjoy the fruits of their creations for a relaxing lunch.
Valentines Day in the country – February 2015
A day spent in the country, with a special person, enjoying scrumptious food and good company. The day included a cooking demonstration (all ingredients sourced from the farm or surrounding area, and naturally grown). Included in the price was a gourmet 4-course sit-down lunch, the hands-on cooking demonstration and wine with the meal.
Alternative Metallurgical Solutions – February 2015
“Thanks so much to you and Mike for the day on Saturday. Everyone had loads of fun and learnt a lot in the process.” – Glenn Waldeck, Managing Director.
Sausage making workshop – March 2014
FNB Legal, mystery basket class – March 2014
Suckling Pig Workshop – January 2014
