Whether you’re a gourmet cook, someone looking for more inspiration, or simply keen to introduce a partner to the wonders of food preparation, top chefs at the Elbow Beach Hotel are poised to help.

Beginning this weekend, they will present a series of cooking classes for all tastes and abilities which will cover a series of markedly different cuisines, as well as soups.

The classes, which begin on Saturday and continue on alternate weeks until August 11, will be led by Escoffier Cup winner, chef de cuisine Terence Clark, and the hotel’s executive sous chef, Rick Bartram.

Each class will have a different theme, and all will take place from 12.30 to 2.30 p.m. at various locations on the Paget resort property.

Guaranteed to provide a special Saturday experience far removed from the typical dreary round of housework, shopping, chauffeuring, gardening and other chores, participants will be required to do nothing more than listen, learn and ask questions. No dirty hands, no inept fumbling with messy ingredients, or failed dishes at the end. Quite the contrary, in fact.

The experts will do the work, explaining the various steps and imparting a host of invaluable tips as they go. At the end of preparing each dish, the finished, presentation plate will be displayed for all to admire, smaller versions of which a sous chef, working quietly alongside the chef-instructor, has quietly prepared and plated for each participant.

During the class, champagne and two still wines from Gosling’s will be served, along with details of their origin, qualities, and appropriate serving suggestions.

When demonstration of the entrée is complete, participants sit down with the chef and sommelier to enjoy their own plated version.

At the end of each session, participants take home copies of the recipes they have seen prepared, plus a large, white cotton apron monogrammed with the Elbow Beach logo.

Each classes is $160 per person. For reservations/further information 239-9303.

The projected schedule is as follows:

June 2: Best of Bermuda

Chef Rick Bartram shows how to use in-season ingredients from around the Island, such as organic leaves, chicken, corn, watermelon, potatoes and tomatoes, as well as Bermuda’s most popular fish, wahoo, to create a perfect gourmet meal.

June 16: Secrets of the Seahorse

Award-winning Seahorse Grill chef de cuisine Terence Clark demonstrates some of his restaurant favourites, including roast Yukon Gold potato soup, seared scallops and lemon cream with fresh raspberries.

June 30: Soup Kitchen

A world of soup from the simplest broths to classic French consommé. Learn how easy soup is to make with what you have around your kitchen with chef Rick Bartram.

July 14: Taste of the Orient

Learn to cook Singapore noodles, satay, Indonesian nasi goreng and Thai curries, utilising readily available ingredients in Bermuda with chef Rick Bartram.

July 28: Arabian Nights

Chef Mohammed Benlhima shares the secrets of North African and Middle Eastern cuisine. Create classics such as kabsha, shish kebabs, hummus and babaganouj along with hariarra soup from his native Morocco.

August 11: Indian Spice

Chef Vinay Racharia and Vijay Velayudhan uncover the mysteries of the magical spicy cuisine of the Indian sub-continent with dishes such as jeera pilaf rice, chicken jalfrazi, dhal and aloo simlamirch.