Chef Jacqui's French Cooking Classes

When you pull up in the driveway of chef Jacqui
Selleck’s home cooking school, you will be warmly
greeted by Jacqui’s beautiful golden retriever, Sophie.
Sophie will lovingly escort you to the front door where
delicious aromas are emanating from Jacqui’s kitchen.
Once you enter you will be surprised by the magnificent 180-degree
panoramic views of the golf course through floor-to-ceiling windows and a huge balcony. The open-plan setting, beautifully set dining table, and
kitchen laden with fresh produce awaits.

Where: FINGAL, Mornington Peninsula

#onehourout

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Please Note:

The plan

Canapes and refreshments are served to you as you don your aprons and take your place in my kitchen. Here we read through our menu and recipes and begin our preparation and cooking. During this time, I will teach you tips and tricks of the trade. You will gain knowledge using and storing ingredients and equipment, knife skills, pan-frying techniques and food styling among many other tips.

As we finish each course, we adjourn to the table to eat and discuss the balance of flavours and textures. We are constantly eating all day. You can ask as many questions as you like and take as many photos as you like and like so many before, you will vow to return for next seasons menu and to bring others you know who will love this experience too.

Book this exciting experience today.

Maximum of 8 per class

This is a B.Y.O experience.

The fruits of your labour

Upon arrival, chef Jacqui will have her favourite canapes and light non-alcoholic refreshments waiting for you and will be served all day.

You will then go on to cook a beautiful 3-course meal and as every course has been cooked we will adjourn to the dining table to eat it. We will be basically eating all day.

Dessert is generally around 4.00 pm.

This is a b.y.o. experience and chef will let you know in the week leading up to your class what the menu will be. This will give you time to select the perfect wine for your dining experience.

All food is of the highest quality and locally sourced. All menus are seasonal.

The kit required

Chef Jacqui will provide you with aprons to protect your clothing from all the delicious butter we will be using.

You should bring wine if you would like to drink and a good appetite.

I grew up in the Melbourne suburb of Mt. Waverley and spent my childhood Summers at Dromana, and fishing with my family at Sorrento. I had always been drawn to the Peninsula, maybe because my ancestors were the original Cape Schanck Lighthouse keepers. So, I finally moved here in 2013 and worked as a chef at Montalto Vineyard and Olive Grove and then later at Stillwater at Crittenden Estate.

I became a chef later in life after a few career moves, one being a professional dancer on stage and TV in the 80’s. Becoming a Chef in fine dining and being classically French-trained was important to me and was inevitable because I used to wake up with 4 open cookbooks on my bed most mornings and watched every cooking show known to man. It was a hard slog as a mature apprentice, but I only wanted to learn from the best, so I dug in and it has been a great and rewarding career choice and yes, I still wake up with cookbooks on my bed. The biggest influences of my career have been Chef Rodney Graeme, Chef Zac Poulier, Chef Grant McPherson from America, and many more from here and overseas.

Later I started catering as a private chef in peoples homes creating lavish and elegant dinner parties and now, I prefer to create those parties in my own magnificent home that I share with my husband Tony. They say some chefs should stay in the kitchen for a reason, but I enjoy people and love sharing my nurturing side by teaching others how to cook the food I love to cook, to enjoy the process and to not panic in the kitchen.

My experience as a chef working in some of Melbourne's and Europe's best professional kitchens under the most talented, passionate, and humble chefs has made me the chef I am and allows me to help you become a better and more confident cook.

The food I love to cook is French cuisine with a modern influence, elegant European cookery, and Australian cuisine, introducing native ingredients. Seasonal, sustainable, and fresh ingredients is an absolute must in my kitchen, which my kitchen garden plays a huge role in as does my local Mornington Peninsula suppliers and producers. We have a few precious things in our life that give us pleasure and enjoyment and cooking and eating food does just that.

Therefore, I invite you to cook with me in my kitchen and to enjoy a magnificent 4-course meal at my table. Book your French cooking class and dining experience today.

Bon appetite.