Let’s face it, lockdown is driving us insane. So, to keep myself from completely losing my mind I decided to try an online cooking class with Flow Cooking.
The small Brighton-based business is owned and run by professional chef Hayley Pople, who realised after being furloughed in March that she has a passion (and a talent) for teaching.
Although these classes are sold and run as an intensive course set over 4 classes that span one month (priced at £99), you can also join individual classes for £30. I joined for the first lesson of the intensive fish course. We were making sea bream ceviche, and oh boy, was I excited. Finally, something to look forward to!
Getting Ready for the Class
Before the class even started, it was clear that Hayley was intent on making this a standout experience for everyone involved. The effort she’s put in is evident, with a comprehensive welcome pack, followed by an ingredients & equipment guide that included Hayley’s own tried and tested focaccia recipe that she recommends making before the class.
Obviously, I made the focaccia, because although I’d never baked bread before, I wanted to get the full experience. Being the Worrying Wanda that I am, I messaged Hayley on Instagram during the process for tips and tricks and sent her a photo to make sure I’d done it correctly. She was luckily there to help and validate what I was doing, and the bread turned out perfectly.
The Cooking
Now, what you’re all here for… the lesson itself. These are hosted in small groups of 5 or 6 participants to make the experience more intimate, and to allow Hayley to give everyone the attention they require.
Hayley asked everyone to go around and say a little about themselves so we could all get to know each other, which made the meeting a little less awkward. We then got down to business by starting our pickled beetroot simmering on the stove on a low heat.
Next, Hayley taught us how to fillet a whole sea bream. This included removing the skin and bones - a very useful skill to have! She then taught us the perfect hack for crispy fish skin. I won’t disclose all her secrets, but for this one, we covered it in extra virgin olive oil, a little salt, and flattened it between two baking sheets to go into the oven. I can guarantee that I’ll be using this little skill again and again. The result was seriously impressive, and tasty!
Next, it was on to the ceviche marinade, also known as Tiger’s Milk in Peru (I won’t tell you why, but I recommend giving it a Google for some light entertainment). This is a zesty juice used to cure (partly cook) the fish; it’s bursting with flavour, heavy on lime and coriander, with white wine vinegar, garlic, chilli and shallot to balance out the zingy flavour.
We also made a buttermilk dressing that added an extra creaminess to the dish. Hayley was encouraging us to try the food throughout to make sure everything was going to plan.
Hayley explained that the fish begins to cook instantly when it’s added to the marinade, so we put it in moments before getting everything ready to plate up. She gave us an example of how she would plate the dish, but said we were welcome to use our own artistic flare if we wanted. 
How it Turned Out
I was so impressed with the food itself. Not only did it look like restaurant-quality food, but it tasted like it too. The flavours were all balanced perfectly, with an indulgent amount of salt for seasoning throughout the dish.
Each element was there to play its part. The ceviche was fresh and zesty, the fish wasn't quite like the raw stuff you have in sushi, it was something completely different.
The beetroot added a depth of flavour due to the aromats we added to the pan during the cooking process, the buttermilk was creamy and light, and even the watercress added a much needed extra element. The crispy skin added texture, and the fluffy bread soaked everything up beautifully.
Would I Recommend This Class?
The class was fun and informative. I gained recipes and techniques that I’ll be using again and again (especially that focaccia recipe), and above all it gave me something to do!
My only critique would be that the £30 price tag + £14 on ingredients for one person, or probably about £24 for two is definitely not cheap. It's worth pointing out that there are hundreds of virtual cooking lessons available on platforms such as AirBnB that range from £8 - £20. However, I understand that you are paying to support a small business, for the small group sizes, Hayley’s dedication to providing service before and after the class, and the sheer quality of the recipes.
It’s also worth mentioning that if you purchase the full course for £99 (£24.75 per lesson), you receive access to a private Facebook group to stay connected to the people you meet, share recipes and photos, and an additional 4 recipes at the end of the course on top of the 4 you make with Hayley.
To sum up, if you love food then I’d say it’s worth spending extra for this lesson.
Thank you for reading!
