Learn . Laugh . Eat

Brace yourself for the weird, the wacky, and the absolutely wonderful as we take a tour of some cracking Christmas feasts available across Asia.

In this free charity blog post, we look into the state of food waste and food poverty in the UK while taking a look back at our mammoth charity mission, Wok for 1000.

Join us as we delve into the history of London's first Chinese community, and explore the tastes of this year's Chinese Food Festival

Our thoughts on International Happiness Day and how to make a happy team!

That’s one totally amazing present ticked off the list - and it’s not even November. Or you could just… you know… keep it for yourself…

School of Wok Intern Heather Byres weighs in with her predicted food trend for 2017…

Why is everyone going nuts for coconut oil? There are many positives surrounding the reasons to use and consume coconut oil...

Freezing food is a great way to reduce food waste, saving you both time and money! Here are some of our top tips for freezing food -

On Tuesday 1st November in a chilly Borough Market, School of Wok hosted over 200 ‘chefs’ and volunteers, joining together to learn, prepare, cook and package over 1000 meals, to be delivered to 22 separate charities over the city of London.

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…. Wait a minute, that’s not it. Less than two years ago, in November 2014 School of Wok decided to try something a bit different for a local business’s annual office Christmas party….

Take one part casual pub-type environment, add one part savoury, snacky and satisfying menu, center it all around Japanese ingredients and flavours, and what you get is a fantastic result known as Izakaya style eating; popular in Japan and making it's way to the forefront of the UK dining scene. Read on to find out more!

Next month the school is proud to be hosting Thai chef and entrepreneur extraordinaire; Saiphin Moore, founder of the incredibly successful restaurant; Rosa's Thai Cafe. Having worked our way through both her menu and cookbook, we at School of Wok could not be more excited to learn all the tricks up her sleeve on how to create delicious, authentic-yet-domestic-kitchen-friendly Thai food. In preparation for her class, we sat down with her to find out all she knows, as it seems everything Saiphin touches turns to gold!

José Pizarro has become one of the most successful Spanish chefs, known for his successful restaurants, acclaimed cookbooks, as well as his warm, knowledgeable, and passionate approach to food. In anticipation of his [exciting class](https://www.schoolofwok.co.uk/classes/an-evening-with-jose-pizarro-jeremy-pang) with us next month (22nd April) we found out a bit more about what makes this incredible chef tick.

From a Michelin-starred menu with Alfred Prasad, to a noodle pulling appearance on ITV's This Morning, to the Evolution of Dim Sum with the Guild of Food Writers we've welcomed in The Year of the Monkey with a BANG!

For many of us at School of Wok, nothing is quite as satisfying as a long, lingering dim sum meal. From the parade of dishes, flavours and textures, to the warm feeling that comes from sharing everything, this style of eating is one in which our quest for knowledge (and experience!) never ends. Keep reading to find out more about the art of dim sum making.

Alfred Prasad knew at a young age (with the help of his parents guidance) that working in food was the perfect way to combine all the things he loved the most; science, the arts, and eating. In anticipation of his upcoming class with us on [19th February](https://www.schoolofwok.co.uk/classes/masterclass-with-alfred-prasad-and-jeremy-pang), we sat down with Alfred to find out a little bit more about this inquisitive, meticulous and gregarious chef.

Dan Doherty has been executive chef of London's popular 24 hour restaurant Duck & Waffle since 2012. And for one night only (4th March) he's taking charge of School of Wok's kitchens. In anticipation of his upcoming class, we sat down with Dan for some insight into the world of this innovative chef. Here's what he has to say:

Get your aprons on, grab your cleaver and get excited! School of Wok is featuring some of London's top chefs for 2016. Read on for details.

What exactly is Diwali? Read on to find out why this holiday is such a personal one for Ivor, and why he is so excited to share his celebrations with School of Wok this November.

Chances are you can walk down any street in Central London and you won't struggle to find a nearby restaurant serving dim sum.

Everyone at School of Wok is so glad it's finally Easter. It's been non-stop at the here since Christmas – especially with Chinese New Year last month – so we're all looking forward to a bit of a break this four-day weekend, as I'm sure the rest of you all are!

After reading a rave review of Bao London on one of my favourite food blogs, The Skinny Bib, I knew I had to get down to try these tasty looking buns. So I headed down to [KERB](http://www.kerbfood.com/kings-cross/) last week to see what how good these 'xiao chi' ('small eats') really were...

We are very proud that Jeremy was invited down to Gordon Ramsay's michelin starred restaurant on Royal Hospital Road in London. Jeremy was a judging guest during the cook off between two Chinese establishments - London's Kai restaurant and Blackburns Yu and You restaurant.

In the news this week there was lots of talk about how much fresh produce gets thrown away, not only by the supermarkets but also at home...

So much of Chinese cuisine, especially that which is typically cooked in the home, can be built around simple pantry staples. From sauces to oils, to spices, having some of the basics to hand can make whipping up a quick Asian-inspired dish simple, quick and cost effective. Case in point- the dried Chinese noodle. Noodles are a wonderful way of adding texture, flavour, and a bit of bulk to round out a dish. Today, we took to Jeremy's new book Chinese Unchopped to help give you some basic tips on how to make the most of out this classic pantry cupboard ingredient.

It's summer. It's hot. Typical daydreams at this time of year might include a sandy beach, a drink with a little umbrella, and an unplanned, unrushed day. But according to researchers 'staycations' have become the new answer to the packaged deal abroad- which can often leave you with an overcrowded beach and a watered-down drink instead of the shiny postcard holiday you were dreaming of.

We first laid eyes on blogger and supper club host The Boy Who Ate the World aka, Guan Chua, last year during his tv debut as chef contestant on Channel 4's programme The Taste, led by wellknown chefs Nigella Lawson, Anthony Bourdain, and Ludovic Lefebvre. After earning the respect of hard-to-please Bourdain, with his impecable understanding of Malaysian flavours and techniques (his home cuisine), we knew this rising star was one to keep our eye on!

Long hours of writing after teaching a full day of classes, recipe testing on the weekends, using his wife, School of Wok staff, family members and friends as sounding boards and taste testing guinnea pigs- these tactics seem to be the only way to be able to both run a business and write a book at the same time (and sort of sometimes sleep a little bit).

It's hard to believe in just three weeks we welcomed, trained, and bid fairwell to our newly trained chefs. Like wee baby birds they quickly spread their wings and soared on their own- away from the School of Wok nest and out into the culinary world. They grow up so fast don't they?

Last week we took our Professional Course students to the Ming Ai institute; a centre dedicated to Chinese cultural herritage and education, for some serious hands-on training.

Vietnamese cuisine is all about fresh ingredients, herbaceous aromatics and often the zing of citrus, punch of chili and umami flavours of fish sauce and shrimp paste. It is a beautiful and interesting way of cooking and tends to go hand-in-hand with the lighter, fresher fare we tend to gravitate towards come summer. Have we got your mouth watering yet? Here are a few wonderful dishes to try, that will start you down the vivacious path that is Vietmanese cuisine.

Anyone who has sifted through the internet recently, whether it was catching up on blogs, browsing through various online shops, or even just the news, has likely to have come across something so rediculous, so absurd that it has made you do a double take. You think "is this real" or "is this some April fools joke" etc. You go back, try to look at it again with fresh eyes to make sure you really are seeing what you think you are seeing. You might laugh, sigh, or even just plain grunt outloud when you come to the acceptance that it is in fact real. Next step, perhaps, is a feeling of slight dismay as you think to yourself "why didn't I come up with that idea first???". Have a look through our recent lazy Sunday browsing finds. We definitely had a few of those 'why didn't we do this first?!' moments. Which is your favourite?

Deep frying can be a very scary thing to attempt for the first time- especially when trying it out at home!

We bang on quite a bit about our love of all Far Eastern cuisine. I mean, it's our job and all, so it does come with the territory. However, it has come up more than a few times in discussion at the school (occupational hazzard) just why we love Chinese food so much- not as chefs or event planners per say, but as people who work and cook daily. With the ideals of wanting to look after ourselves and our families, utilise our leftovers and every penny that goes towards our weekly food budgets, and make something tasty, interesting, and let's face it, quick - Chinese food in all honesty, ticks the boxes. Here's what our guys in the kitchens and the office had to say.

When the winter weather finally breaks we Londoners flock to the great outdoors, doing as much as we can, from eating and drinking, to shopping to commuting al fresco. Over the years London's market scene has really come into its own, from daily food trucks and stalls like KERB, to the ever popular (albeit touristy) Borough and Notting Hill Markets. But don't think for a moment that it stops there!

With Easter right around the corner (hello, four-day weekend!!) it's easy to be reminded of the merchandised holiday wherever you go. You can't throw a stone without hitting a chocolate egg, gift basket or Easter-inspired recipe or cooking tip no matter what grocery store or shop you enter.

This week we've had a moment to catch up with one of our favourite bloggers and culinary adventurers; Lizzie Mabbott from Hollow Legs. As we at the school are preparing for her hugely anticipated sold out supper club to launch of her first book; Chinatown Kitchen, AND her additional supper club launch on 16th April (places still available!), we wanted to know more about what inspired her to take to the internet- capturing her travels, exploration of her cultural herritage via her kitchen experiments, and her discovery of some delicious hidden gems whilst eating her way around London and beyond.

This week at the school whilst we are chopping, stir frying and folding away, our minds are elsewhere. We are thinking about our own personal chefs, chaufers, cheerleaders, doctors, teachers, leaders, comedians, tailors, banks, carpenders, bartenders and counselors; our mums. And though we are a mixed bunch ourselves; some with children and some who still behave like children (ok that's everyone really), one thing we know for sure; we owe a hell of a lot to the lady who has supported us all along the way.

oday marks the celebration of 'Lantern Festival', and the close of Chinese New Year festivities. Lantern Festival is celebrated on the 15th day of the new lunar year, so like the start of Chinese New Year, will not fall on the same Western (solar) calendar date each year.

This week we have had the pleasure of sitting down with TV chef, author, and teacher Ivor Peters aka. The Urban Rajah to find out a bit more about his love affair with food, the story he tells through cooking, and what we can expect on his upcoming Spice Academy class with us, taking place Friday 27th March. Ivor's soulful approach to developing aromatic flavours coupled with his lively charasmatic personality is certain to make his debut class with us a one-of-a-kind experience to remember! Just listening to the description of the dishes he loves has our stomachs rumbling and our taste buds salivating!

Jeremy Pang has spent many years working incredibly hard behind the scenes in his own kitchens, putting blood sweat and tears (well, hopefully not too many tears) into his own School of Wok. Recently however, Jeremy's face has become a regular part of our tv watching experience, as his recent appearances on Channel 4's Sunday Brunch, and Food Network UK's The Big Eat are coaxing us off the sofa and into the kitchen to test out our wok skills. As Jeremy makes his way onto the nation's stage we sat down with him to see what he thinks about this whole process.

Here at School of Wok we are celebrating the premier and first of hopefully many of Jeremy Pang's appearances on Food Network UK School of Wok, and we hope you've had a chance to catch it! If not, have no fear, Jeremy's guest chef appearance on The #Big Eat will run up until mid-March, so you've got plenty of time to tune in (however you'll want to see it before 28th Feb when the opportunity to enter our give away ends!).

Resolute adjective admirably purposful, determined, and unwavering Happy New Year! Here just a matter of days into the year 2015 many of us have reflected to BE more resolute, in one way or another. Whether it's the promise we make to ourselves to take better care of our physical well being with more wholesome eating, more exercise, more sleep, or the quest for knowledge. It's hard not to reflect a little on how we as individuals can become more productive, happier, fulfilled, resolute people. 'Resolute' is a wonderfully powerful, aspirational word, that often and unfortunately develops a watered down meaning when shoved into the phrase 'New Years resolutions'. It seems obligatory, unnecessary and forced upon us like another piece of fruit cake after Christmas dinner.

Last Friday we welcomed the legendary Ken Hom at School of Wok with open arms, wide eyes, and perked-up ears, eager to pick up any tips offerred from the Chinese culinary master himself. What we were not quite expecting was just how humble, laid back, and friendly Ken would actually be! Not that we expected a ball of fire-breathing-Gordon Ramsey-style-fury, but given Ken's experience and knowledge, he has certainly earned the right to put on a few airs in our books. Instead Ken was warm and welcoming, eager to share tips and encourage chefs and students alike as we celebrated the launch of the school's professional training school; The Oriental Culinary Institute

The term ‘fusion food’ was almost considered a dirty word after its long run-turned-mediocre, over popularized and overworked presence in the 90’s. In the early 00’s chefs and restaurants scaled back and returned the classics, distancing themselves from the trend by keeping regional cuisines distinctly separate and authentic, after so many unsuccessful food mash-ups.

Halloween or All Hallows’ Eve falls each year on the 31st October. It is a holiday we tend associate with all things scary and ‘beyond the grave’, from ghosts and ghouls, to scary spiders and things that go bump in the night. Though there have been conflicting thoughts on its origin and religious influence, many western countries tend to celebrate this holiday with secular traditions including door-to-door trick-or-treating, dressing up in costumes and pumpkins carving. It is also associated with candy, caramel, and other not so healthful treats. Keeping this in mind we at the school would love to offer you some delicious and innovative alternatives to the standard gummy sugary treat, with of course an oriental twist. Those bags of Haribo won't stand a ghost of a chance!

‘Health food’ should never be synonymous with ‘boring food’ when it doesn’t have to be! Contrary to popular belief Asian cuisine can be some of the healthiest out there when cooked properly. Using fresh ingredients often with a focus on vegetables, most dishes are cooked quickly, leaving little time to absorb oil and become mushy or greasy. Crunchy veggies, fragrant spices, and even a little kick of chilli here and there is a great way to leave you feeling refueled and energetic after a meal, rather than ready to melt into the couch in attempts to digest.

Anyone who has ever procrastinated in the last year or so has heard of BuzzFeed.com. It’s the website with random quizzes you see friends posting about on Facebook (yes please what 90's rap icon am I?), top 20 GIFs about whatever age group you fall into and how old you must feel, and surprisingly interesting sound bites on pop culture, current events and popular food trends. While it’s the type of website to be read with a grain of salt, it just so happens that as of late they have been enthusiastically talking about some of the same things we have been, namely Dim Sum. It seems the ‘touches of the heart’ (the literal translation of Dim Sum) that we have been cooking up and enjoying for years are now very on trend and fashionable! In fact, dim sum is becoming so commonplace and popular you can even find ready-made varieties in some local supermarkets (though you may be better off making your own in this case)! And while the next food trend is surely just around the corner, we wanted to take a moment to share with you just how much we love this type of eating. With a focus on a variety of tastes and textures, family-style sharing plates, and lengthy and leisurely eating, dim sum just about covers all of our favourite things when it comes to dining. Here are a few of our go-tos that you may not have heard of before:

What goes on behind the scenes during shows like Sunday Brunch? After last Sunday’s guest chef appearance by our own Jeremy Pang, we wanted to know more so went directly to the horses mouth to get the scoop on what it’s like to cook on live tv.

Swapsies! We've all felt that moment of inspiration in the kitchen, when nothing short of a chilli beef stir fry or sweet and sour chicken will do. This will usually end when, after a quick Google search, you find the recipe contains an ingredient that requires a trip to the nearest Chinese Supermarket. This could be done if you had time to spare, but these cravings usually occur late in the afternoon when the kids are hungry and energy levels have hit an all time low. Well with a little imagination you can swap those ingredients for something a lot more convenient. Here's our top five substitutes for South East Asian ingredients, for those times when the usual 'Spag Bol' just won't do.

Here at the School of Wok we've just completed a week -long intensive Dim Sum course and not only did the students survive, but we are pretty sure they also learnt a thing or two. One may think the diminutive Dim Sum is something akin to the harmless cupcake-small tasty and mastered by amateur bakers worldwide, but these perfect little parcels have brought seasoned chefs to their knees for centuries.

I fell in love with an Iranian and then I fell in love with Iranian food. Or was it the other way around? He's a great cook and he had me at "hello would you like to try my Persian Lamb?" This month we will be visiting Iran and I can't wait to be fed by my husband's food crazy family. Persian cuisine is all about fresh herbs, nuts, rice, tender meat and, of course, lashings of saffron. It's the most expensive spice in the world because it takes about 80,000 flowers to produce 1 lb of saffron and the threads must be hand picked. So when you use it you'd better know what you're doing. Just follow the Persian's lead:

I've been obsessing over Sichuan Peppercorns ever since I tried head chef Jeremy Pang's Cucumber and Sichuan Peppercorn pickle. It's often combined with chilies for a sensation the Chinese call "ma la", literally meaning "numbing-hot", which I mistook for an allergic reaction when I first tried it. Now my addiction is such that my husband had to stage an intervention when I tried to add it to my breakfast omlette; I still think it would work. Here's an idea that everyone should approve of: Sichuan Peppers and Popcorn. I know, it's out there, but try it once and you will never look back. Simply grind the peppers and add them to melted butter. Let that simmer for a while until the peppers have infused the butter and then pour it all over your popcorn- pure peppercorn paradise!

Jeremy Pang on Channel Four's Sunday Brunch I don't know if any of you tuned into Channel Four’s Sunday Brunch to see our head chef Jeremy Pang demonstrating noodle pulling, but I couldn't believe my eyes! Basically Jeremy spoke us through the process as expert noodle puller, Kampo, took a lump of dough, twisted it a few times, slammed it against the table and produced hundreds of perfectly formed noodles. It was enough to make this muggle believe in magic, but like all good magicians Jeremy had a trick up his sleeve and I set myself the challenge of finding out what it was.

Hello School of Wokkers! It is with a sense of excitement and a little trepidation that I join the School of Wok team as their resident blogger. Let me be upfront about one thing: I am no culinary expert. I have filmed a lot of good food and produced some television shows featuring questionable culinary skills (not telling which ones), but when it comes to wokking I never really knew my Char Siu Baau from my Baozi. That's until I met the School of Wok team and my sweet and sour love affair with the wok world began. So far I've tried out their Dim Sum Scoff n Quaff (boy was I tipsy!) and their recent Supper Club (boy was I tipsy!) and both featured some of the most sensational food I have ever tasted.

Chinese New Year is the biggest event of the Chinese calendar and from the 31st of January, the first day in the Year of the Horse, we will be celebrating with unbridled abandon here at the School of Wok!

As we (begrudgingly) embrace the Superfoods and Detox Smoothies of the early New Year, we at School of Wok have also decided to chase away those January blues by looking ahead and taking inspiration from the up-and-coming food trends that are predicted for 2014. Here are a few predictions set by the media, as well as some of our own!

Dear School of Wokkers, I'm Benjamin, the new blogger for the website. To welcome me to the SOW team, Jez thought it would be a good idea for me take over ‘Jess's Recipe Adventures' section by giving me one of his own recipes to try out - not sure if this is a test or not but here goes...let's see if I'm still writing the blog next week!

Although China is officially a non-religious state, many Chinese people living in China now celebrate Christmas. Perhaps western commercialism has influenced the holiday celebrations in China, along with an opportunity to focus on family, or food, or a variety of other possible influences for this fairly recent occurence. Here at the School of Wok we're not complaining as it gives us the perfect opportunity to explore some dishes and customs enjoyed at Christmas in China.

Ever wondered how they make those white, fluffy, airy steamed buns filled with sweet, sticky char siu pork you often see in the windows of Chinese bakeries?

We have had our fair share of happy customers through our doors here at the School of Wok over the last year and a half - over 4000, in fact!

The other week I popped along to Café Spice Namaste in E1 to watch one of the Incredible Spice Men, Cyrus Todiwala, demonstrate the versatility and diversity of turkey. With Christmas just a matter of weeks away (less than 8 weeks, folks!) it’s already time to start thinking about Christmas parties, gifts, and most importantly, food! While it is traditional to have turkey primarily at Christmas and overlook it the rest of the year, it is a meat that is healthy, versatile, relatively cheap, and can be spiced up to eat during any season. Chef Todiwala engaged with us with his easy banter, quite often diverging from his point to answer questions. He left us with a wealth of facts and interesting anecdotes to ponder as we watched him cook and ate his delicious dishes. For instance turkeys apparently originated in Mexico! Who knew?! Also, turkeys lay their eggs only in the summer months, requiring thirty times as much food for only a third the amount of eggs that chickens provide. This is probably why we don’t see or hear much about them comparatively.

The finalists for the 2013 British Cookery School Awards have been announced. The School of Wok is honoured and more than excited to have made it to the final round in no less than three categories! The School of Wok itself is one of six finalists for the Best Specialist Cookery School; Head Chef and founder, Jeremy Pang is up for the Young Rising Star Award – despite his youth, he has already risen to many challenges; and the Unsung Hero category is sure to sing the praises of Adrienne, our Marketing and Bookings Manager, who keeps tabs on all of us, as well as organising our wokking lives.

We are very excited to be part of Edible Experiences Southeast Asia Arts Feast, taking place in London from this weekend until the end of November. Edible Experiences have collated a number of South Eastern Asian cooking experiences, many of which take place at the School of Wok.

Dear School of Wokkers The time has come for me (resident blogger Ben) to hang up my chopsticks and pass my duties over to the next lucky foodie. I'm sad to say goodbye to London's favourite cookery school but have loved working here for the last 16 months or so. It's been a pleasure to get to know Jeremy, Stefan, Nev, Adrienne and the team and they've all taught me so much so I'm thankful to have had the opportunity...

The title for the UK's best restaurant has been revealed and it may surprise some to hear that it's not located in London...

Summer is officially over: days are getting shorter, temperatures are starting to dip and School of Wok's buy-one-get-one-free mega sale has sadly come to an end...

Yes, the summer's nearly over and autumn's setting in...but don't fear there's still plenty of things to look forward to - namely BEER FESTIVALS! Here's a short summary of a few of world's best beer festivals (eg, the ones we'd love to go to if we ever get some time off work!).

Berwick Street’s The Endurance pub is to be turned into a Chinese gastropub, a new concept that we’re really excited (and intrigued) about.

Our amazing MASSIVE SUMMER SALE is not to be missed...

Hybrids have taken the food world by storm recently and the surge in popularity and fanfare surrounding some of these creations has been a little flabbergasting to say the least.

In just a month's time, London's Tobacco Dock will be home to some of the world's most inspiring and innovative chefs as part of a new event called 'The Lab' and we at School of Wok couldn't be more excited...especially our head chef Jeremy Pang.

Forget Weetabix, croissants and Pop-Tarts, breakfasts in China are nothing like those you'd eat in the West.

Changing career can be a tricky thing. There's always tons of risks involved and you're often left wondering whether you've made the right choice. But following your dream, however difficult or stressful along the way, can really be the best decision you've ever made.

If you love Thai food, you've come to the right place...

For those who haven't yet met her, Yolanda is the newest member at School of Wok. We're pleased to announce that she will be taking over our corporate sushi classes from now on, so thought we'd take this opportunity to introduce her to you...

Summer is the most exciting time for street food in the UK, and things are really starting to heat up in the nation's capital with food festivals and events happening virtually every weekend.

Everyone loves a 'top five' list so here's another: School of Wok's run-down of the top five food markets in London!

It may not be the best weather for it, but it's National Picnic Week this week (17th-23rd June) so come rain or shine we're planning to get out at least once to celebrate this wonderful occasion!

Party hats and balloons at the ready...School of Wok has now been open for one whole year!

Soho Food Feast takes place this weekend and School of Wok can't wait to take part!

For whatever reason summer always seems to be the time of year when food trends really come into full swing. Maybe it's the weather, the need for an escape from the seriousness of work, or the plethora of food festivals that have cropped up around the UK. Whatever the reason, we at the school are sharpening our forks, knives and chopsticks and getting ready to dive in! What will summer of 2013 bring London's dinner table? Though no one can say for sure what will hit and what will miss, chefs, restaurateurs and food critics have all weighed in on what they think the London public will see over the course of the next few months. Here are some of their tasty predictions we're excited to tuck into:

Come rain or shine, this summer is set to be one of the greatest ever for foodies in the nation's capital, showcasing the best that this city has to offer.

London is an amazing city for quick eats, snacks and food on the go. However, sometimes too much choice just leaves you confused, walking around for hours being unable to choose where to eat. If you're one of these indecisive people (like me) who are always stuck for somewhere for lunch, hopefully this selection of the best sandwiches from across London picked by School of Wok's own staff will make your lives a little easier...and tastier:

The popularity of Vietnamese food in the UK continues to rise at an astonishing rate with tons of restaurants now specialising in Vietnam's national dish, pho (a wholesome noodle soup). However, one element of the cuisine has gained recognition as of late and is emerging fast as a contender to challenge Britain's best street food – Banh Mi!

Spring is finally here...at least according to our calendar anyway. While the record amounts of snowfall and bitter winds have put a dampener on the most of March, School of Wok is finally looking forward to some warmer sunshine...and the food that comes with it!

After months of waiting, the much-talked-about 'Yum Bun' has opened its doors on Featherstone Street and I popped down this weekend to check out what all the fuss has been about!

Happy New Year to you all! The festivities have begun and Chinatown is heaving with hungry visitors, ready to get a slice of the excitement. This year's parade was one of the biggest ever and the whole weekend was a massive success.

When Head Chef Jeremy Pang invited me down for a ‘Quick-fire Wok’ and wine-tasting session last week, I thought it would be a good opportunity to give you guys a little taster of what a cookery lesson at School of Wok is really like!

School of Wok is proud to offer our first-ever Intensive 5-Day Dim Sum Cookery Course! Covering the more well-known classics and the ones that you may have never heard of, our trained and professional chefs will teach you to become a dim sum master in a short space of time.

Happy New Year from School of Wok! We hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and ate to your heart's content. 2013 is now here, the festivities are over and we're all getting back to work, but things are already gearing up for the main event, Chinese New Year, which kicks off in just under a month's time.

School of Wok is counting down the days until the biggest event of the year...no not Christmas, the other one – Chinese New Year! CNY is full of Chinese tradition, auspiciousness and excitement, however one thing is celebrated above the rest during this period: food!

Dim sum, while small and quick to eat, is by no means simple to make: it takes time, patience and a knowledge of the food to pull off this exquisite art form.

School of Wok in Good Food mag

Sick of the same old dry turkey and too many sambucas year after year? Then why not try something a little different at your office Christmas shin-dig this festive season. School of Wok has the solution for a fun, interactive and tasty work party with an Oriental twist.

School of Wok found its way on to a full-page spread in The Times this Saturday with head chef Jeremy Pang giving his expert tips about stir-frying and how to use a wok. Here's a little snapshot of the article:

Get your earmuffs, wooly hats and cosy socks out of the cupboard - it's starting to feel really Christmassy here in old London town!

'X-treme Chinese' cuisine is headed to London, with two-Michelin-starred and self-titled "Demon Chef" Alvin Leung Jr opening up his new 'Bo London' restaurant in Mayfair next month.

Pepe's Kitchen makes traditional Philippine home-cooked food with a modern twist. Perfectly marrying Eastern preparation with Western presentation. Pepe's brings the indigenous traditions of the Philippines into the 21st Century.

London's newest shopping destination, the shiny Westfield mall in Stratford, has now got a new attraction: a pop-up School of Wok, bringing the taste of the East to East London! I visited Westfield at the weekend to find the place heaving, as thousands of busy shoppers made a start to their Christmas shopping...better them than me! I was there to say hello to our chefs who were showcasing cookery demonstrations and do-it-yourself mini classes in the Great Eastern Market.

This week, we're a little obsessed with Spoonfed Suppers - a bit of a magic wand for anyone who struggles to come up with anything more inspirational than beans on toast for dinner.

Next up on the 'Sunday Feasts' project at School of Wok is Asma Khan's super supper club, Darjeeling Express. Cooking dishes that have been in her family for generations, Asma will be hosting a Nawabi/Mughal feast with her own modern twist.

The Chinese cleaver is not only an over-used prop in most Chinese gangster films, but also an essential tool in every Chinese kitchen. Yes, they do look a bit daunting, but when used correctly you'll wonder why you've never used one before!

School of Wok staff are all looking a bit leaner this week having lost a few stone between us slaving over a sizzling BBQ at Food Network's ‘On Fire' food festival. A heatwave at the weekend may sound like the perfect time for a BBQ, but dozens of grills fired up close to each other for 10 hours a day meant there were some pretty sweaty chefs around.

Just a quick post to ask for your help in crowning School of Wok as Britain's Favourite Cookery School.

While so much emphasis has been put on the Olympics over the last few months, I think it's about time that we take a few days to spare a thought for what summers were really made for...BARBECUES!

An Olympian's diet of 6,000 calories a day may sound like a dream for most of us, but to make sure you maintain a healthy and nutritious diet all year round just to replace burned calories sounds like a bit of a pain if you ask me - lean meats, wholegrains, low-fat dairy and lots of pasta plans for a pretty dull eating plan if you're having six meals a day.

School of Wok is the proud sponsor of the ‘Supperheroes' campaign, a series of supperclub events this summer aimed at raising money for Action Against Hunger, a great charity focused on saving the lives of malnourished children and providing families with access to safe water and sustainable solutions to hunger.

The new school's been open for a good few weeks now so I thought it was high time I paid Chef Pang a visit now that the initial buzz of opening School of Wok's flagship cookery school in Covent Garden is over.

I hope you were all watching Gok Cooks Chinese again on Monday night. I was pleased to see that Gok's latest show touched on tofu, one ingredient that is all too often underrated and underestimated in Britain.

We here at School of Wok were all closing watching Gok Wan's new Channel 4 cookery show, Gok Cooks Chinese, on Monday night and we weren't alone, with a total of 1.3 million viewers across the UK tuning in. Ahead of the first show, a few in the press were a bit sceptical about whether this loveable fashionista could even handle a wok, but Gok proved them wrong, showing that he really knew his stuff when it comes to Chinese food!

We're counting down the days until our brand new cookery school opens in Covent Garden at the end of the month. Classes begin on 28th May and will be taught by SOW founder and head chef Jeremy Pang, as well as guest tutors specialising in a variety of Asian cuisines, including Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian, Thai and Japanese.

Well there you have it, Noma has done it again - René Redzepi's innovative and ground-breaking eatery in Copenhagen, Demark, was last week renamed ‘The World's Best Restaurant' for the third year in a row. There's no denying that the menu at Noma is one of the world's most inventive and imaginative - famed for its arty, cutting-edge Nordic cuisine which includes edible flowers and soil - but this year's San Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurant Awards has, as you would have imagined, ruffled a few feathers in the food world yet again.

Soy sauce, a key element in almost every Asian cuisine, is unarguably a must-have ingredient and condiment for every kitchen, but it's not always the easiest thing to cook with.

Nguyệt Pawlyn is a relative newcomer to the School of Wok family and is our Vietnamese cookery specialist.

When our new swanky cookery school opens in May, Jez will be joined by a host of guest tutors including Atsuko Ikeda, our very-own Japanese cookery specialist and the latest addition to our growing team.

Chinese and Indian food have always been fighting for the top spot as Britain's favourite cuisine, but Gok Wan's new cookery show may tip the scales in favour of stir fries and dim sum!

Get used to this face - because you're going to see School of Wok head chef and founder Jeremy Pang just about everywhere from today! Fronting a new campaign lead by Blue Dragon, Jez is thrilled to celebrate the Year of the Dragon with a series of exciting competitions and giveaways. Pop into your nearest supermarket to pick up one of Blue Dragon's scrumptious sauces (ranging from Sweet Chilli to Chow Mein and Chinese Curry) and you'll have the chance to win one of 25 Jeremy Pang culinary experiences.

BBC Two is set to go beetroot crazy tonight as the latest episode of The Great British Food Revivaltackles one of the country's most over-looked vegetables. Despite their super health benefits (beetroots are packed with antioxidants and vitamins and are even known to reduce blood pressure), the future of the beetroot is looking bleak - the UK has lost half of its beetroot fields over the last 30 years.

Chances are you've heard us rambling on about the brilliant Flavours of China, our gastro day that combines a foodie tour of London's Chinatown with a hands-on cooking lesson in our covent garden location. But are you intrigued about what really happens on a Flavours of China tour?

Our mobile cookery school is looking for a London HQ...can you help? Papa might have been a rolling stone, but wherever we leave our (chefs') hats feels like home to us.

If you're looking for another good excuse to enjoy Chinese food on a Monday, look no further! On September the 15th we'll be celebrating the Moon Festival, a special day in the Chinese calendar that recognises the end of the autumn harvesting season and the date when the moon is at its roundest and fullest. It's associated with the mythological tale of Chang'e, a goddess who floated up to the moon after accidentally taking an immortality pill.

"I always suspected that such delights might be hidden away in Chinatown – it takes a tour with Jeremy to begin to discover them."

My house rarely gets the pleasure of a real spring clean. But when Nigel Slater and the BBC crew decide to pop in for a quick bite to eat, spring cleaning and some serious gardening quickly gets t o the top of the week's agenda!

Kicking off in London's famous Chinatown, students will have the chance to explore the delights of a Chinese bakery and an oriental supermarket with School of Wok head chef Jeremy Pang. After the tour, the lesson heats up with a full cookery lesson in Covent Garden.

t's weathered recessions, food fads and the ever-threatening growth of supermarket conglomerates, but Harvest in Bath is still standing 40 years after it first began. A 100% vegetarian wholefoods store, it's far from mainstream - but what are the secrets behind its success? We take a look...

There are some people in this world that are destined to make you feel bad about yourself. Gwyneth Paltrow is undoubtedly one of these people. Not only an award-winning actress, she somehow also manages to be a style icon, mother to two kids, wife to rock-star husband, and even manages to run her own lifestyle website. If this is making you want to reach out for the nearest bottle of cooking sherry, wait - it just gets worse. Because Gwynny is also a rather accomplished cook and has just released her first cook book.

The humble mushroom has been making news recently. Firstly came the revolution that a new foam made out of fungus is to be used to make eco-friendly packaging and car parts. Then came the equally intriguing yet admittedly less revolutionary news that Henry Ashby from Chepstow had discovered a mammoth Morel mushroom weighing 291g in private woodland. Are mushrooms slowly taking over the world? We sent our resident blogger Jess out on a mushroom foray with www.fungitobewith.org to see what all the fuss is about...

Spring has arrived! It's a new season and a new beginning for School of Wok this month as we launch our new Asian Favourites course; five lessons centred around the best Malaysian, Thai and Vietnamese dishes. Focused on harnessing the delicate, fragrant flavours that are so central to South East Asian cooking, the five new menus are packed with zingy ingredients like chilli, coriander, lime and lemongrass.

When it comes to overused phrases in the media, they don't come more familiar than the old classic 'back to basics'. With everyone keeping a tighter hold on the purse strings recently, focusing on key essentials and foregoing unnecessary extravagances has become a bit of an everyday obsession. But we think we've discovered the easiest way to not only lower your weekly shopping bill, but also get the freshest, most delicious food in the process. Ladies and gentlemen, we present you with the humble farmers' market.

We catch The Fine Cheese Co. chief shop manager Barney Hatch on an unusually quiet day. The sun is shining and cheese seems to be the last thing on anyone's mind (‘I think everyone's gone down the pub', he muses). But it's a temporary moment of calm. The artisan cheese shop located on Bath's Walcot Street, described as "So good it brings a tear to the eye" by Times food journalist Giles Coren, well deserves its reputation as a bit of a cheese mecca for fans of fromage and is usually buzzing with visitors.

Eating out in London is always a bit like playing roulette with your tastebuds. Do you take a gamble and splash out for somewhere swanky where quality is everything, or do you suss out cheaper options in hope of striking the jackpot?

When I ring Jeremy after his trip to Hong Kong, a sleepy voice greets me at the end of the line. I ask him how the trip was. "It was pretty stuffed," he responds. Really hectic then, a whirlwind of family visits and tourist sites? "Oh no I mean I was pretty stuffed. I ate so. Much. Food."

The Chinese New Year kicked off last Thursday (Kung Hei Fat Choi!), and the ladies at Daily Candy HQ are still well into the festivities, as is proven by this wonderful article about School of Wok.

School of Wok and Cookery Coach were special guests today on Colourful Radio's Colourful Life show!

At SOW HQ we're getting incredibly excited about next week and the arrival of the Chinese New Year. And not just for the food! But what's the Chinese New Year all about, and what is 2011 set to bring?

A Michelin-starred chef from Britain has the weight of a nation resting on his shoulders this week, as he competes in the final of the prestigious Bocuse d'Or cookery competition in Lyon

Did you catch Gordon Ramsay's documentary about shark fin soup on Sunday? Shark Bait was actually one of the best food documentaries we've seen in a long time. With Gordon boldly poking his nose behind locked doors, leaping onto private roofs and heading out into the ocean with law-breaking fishermen, it almost felt like the shouty chef had missed his true vocation (he would make a great investigative journalist).

Sustainability has been a bit of a buzz word in the food world recently. We know it's good, we know it's important, but do we even really know what it means?

As we inch further into the New Year, we're all thinking about how we can make 2011 really count. This will be the year we pick up that language, learn that skill, lose that weight. It's a time of self-reflection where we're off the alcohol and onto the path of self-improvement. And what better way to broaden your horizons than by learning something new?