Former Stein chef Alistair Turner appointed as assistant head of new Cornish cookery school

Alistair Turner, known as AJ, has been appointed assistant head of cookery at Truro School Cookery, a new family-friendly cookery school which has recently opened in Cornwall.

He will work alongside the head of cookery, Maria Taylor, to create and deliver a series of courses for the general public, helping people to learn about simple-to-prepare dishes and develop new skills which can be transferred to real-life cooking.

Established in 2018, Truro School Cookery is located at Truro School, an independent school for boys and girls aged three to 18. It works in partnership with Leiths School of Food and Wine to provide a comprehensive syllabus to its students during term time.

AJ said, “I’ve had a busy first few weeks planning with Maria - it’s exciting to be a part of the school in its early stages, and to be involved with the development of its public courses which will take place at weekends and during school holidays.

“I’m looking forward to helping people develop new skills in the kitchen, and rediscover the fun and enjoyment of cooking. If I can teach people to reconnect with food and learn new skills, my job is done!”

AJ switched from a career in architecture to cooking after realising he had greater passion for food and drink than bricks and mortar. He enrolled in Leiths School of Food and Wine in London, where he studied for a year. After graduation he joined Rick Stein at The Seafood Restaurant in Padstow.

He worked with Rick Stein for nearly five years, during which time he was awarded the Star of the Future Award, was part of the launch team at a new restaurant in Sandbanks, Dorset, and also tested recipes for new books, including the cookery book that accompanied the BBC2 series ‘From Venice to Istanbul’.

During his time at The Seafood Restaurant, AJ took on a teaching role to develop skills among the team of commis and apprentice chefs. Teaching ranged from filleting and shellfish prep, to fish cookery and preparing sauces.

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