Kumud Gandhi at Inter Continental Hotel Sept 08

Kumud Gandhi is the founder of The Cooking Academy, a unique cookery school that puts ingredients and their beneficial properties at the heart of everything it teaches. Trained in food science, Kumud’s passion is the combining of food science, nutritional value and great taste. The teaching ethos at the school explores the chemical composition, Ayurvedic and herbal values of food so that recipes and eating plans can be matched to meet dietary requirements and individual lifestyles.

Heading up the academy, Kumud and her team teaches people the health benefits of different herbs and spices used in food. For example if you suffer from indigestion or heart burn, try incorporating fennel, both fresh and fennel seed into your diet; or if you suffer from poor circulation then you should increase the use of chillies and in particular ginger in food; Ginger is in the ‘super food’ category packed with antioxidants, it is an anti inflammatory, circulation stimulator, and an antiseptic. It is also hugely beneficial for nausea.

‘So many common everyday ingredients can provide relief for existing conditions and working with these herbs and spices into your daily diet can actually prevent many common ailments and allergies.’

Cardamom, cinnamon and cloves, although seen as fragrant and flavoursome they are used for their digestive properties and is calming for the stomach, cardamom for example stimulates appetite and relieves flatulence from the consumption of proteins. Cinnamon on the other hand is used for stomach upsets and is used in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome; whilst cloves are a powerful antioxidant, antihistamine and contains mild anesthetic properties, clove oil is an active ingredient in some mouthwashes, toothpaste, and soap and over the counter medications.

“For me it is a realization that the kitchen cabinet promises to offer more effective solutions to our health problems than the medicine cabinet; after all, prevention is better than cure. Our objectives at the Academy is to make people aware of the nutritional value of simple everyday ingredients, the effects it has in our bodies and how we can use them in food. Many of the everyday cupboard spices have excellent effects on these issues and they have been used by early ancestors and ancient civilizations – and yet forgotten in today’s world. ”

Kumud’s ethos surrounding food has also been highlighted in the success of The Cooking Academy’s sister company The Saffron House. Here the catering company famously known for its fusion approach to food has catered for some of the countries most elite venues such as Claridges, The Four Seasons and the much desired ‘Grove’.

Kumud’s food has also tempted the taste buds of the likes of Madonna and Gywneth Paltrow catering for private dinner parties or corporate events.

The Saffron House and its team of chefs also provide their expertise and recipe development for food services such as manufactures, super markets and restaurants.

Success of both companies have results in Kumud working with the Times newspaper as well becoming a favourite on BBC three counties radio. Kumud has also done numerous work with local media publications.

Before pursuing her career in food Kumud worked in banking and finance after she graduated in Economics and International Marketing from the London school of Economics.

For further information about The Cooking Academy or to book classes call on 0845 567 00 22 or email us on info@thecookingacademy.co.uk To learn to cook Indian, Thai, Sushi or learn to cook please contact thecookingacademy.co.uk For catering enquiries please contact www.thesaffronhouse.co.uk