As someone who spends plenty of time eating out, it probably won’t come as a surprise that I also love cooking at home. But while I enjoy experimenting, there are still dishes I’ve never quite mastered.
Take hummus, for example. I’ve made it countless times, but have I ever achieved that beautifully smooth, silky texture you get in a really good Mediterranean restaurant? Absolutely not.
That’s why Food at 52, one of London’s best-loved cookery schools, had been on my radar for some time. Tucked between Old Street and Barbican, it offers classes ranging from Mexican street food and Vietnamese cooking to French cuisine and pasta making.
For me, the appeal is learning to recreate restaurant favourites well enough to serve them confidently at home. So, with cosy season approaching, we swapped an evening eating out for Food at 52’s Eastern Mediterranean class.
More Dinner Party Than Cookery School
Founded by husband-and-wife team John and Emily, Food at 52 started life in their home kitchen in 2008, with the idea of creating something more relaxed and sociable than a traditional cookery school.
That philosophy is still very much alive. Our small group of 12 gathered in a quirky little lounge before heading downstairs to a dream kitchen lined with enormous ovens, spices, olive oils and every utensil imaginable. At the centre was a huge communal table, laid out with everything we needed for the evening, including plenty of wine.
Food at 52 offers free-flowing red and white wine throughout, alongside soft drinks and a particularly lovely elderflower cordial.
Our vegetarian menu included silky hummus, smoky baba ghanoush, fresh tabbouleh, a greens and feta filo pie, roasted cauliflower with pomegranate and homemade baklava. Quite the feast for one evening…
Good Food, Great Company and Plenty of Cooking Tips
Everyone works in small groups, generally of three or four, which means you’re immediately thrown into conversation with the people around you. We cooked alongside a recently married couple, a regular cookery-class attendee and visitors from Norway and South Korea. It was a lovely mix of people brought together by food.
That mixing was one of my favourite parts. Cooking has always been about sharing food, swapping stories and enjoying the process as much as the result, which is something Food at 52 fully embraces.
Throughout the evening, Emily and the team shared practical tips, from knife skills to crushing garlic with sea salt. I picked up plenty without the class ever feeling intimidating.
And crucially, nothing felt intimidating. There was plenty of laughter, encouragement and, of course, regular wine top-ups.
The Secret to Seriously Good Hummus
First up was hummus, something I’ve attempted many times at home with mixed success. It turns out the secret to that perfect silky texture is much simpler than I imagined.
The secret? Ice cubes. Yes, really.
We blended chickpeas with tahini, citrus juice, olive oil and garlic, gradually adding ice cubes for a wonderfully smooth consistency. The result was some of the best hummus I’ve tasted.
Next came baba ghanoush with roasted aubergines, tahini and pomegranate molasses. Despite following the same recipe, each group’s version tasted slightly different depending on how they balanced the flavours.
Then came the tabbouleh. Now, I thought I knew how to make a decent tabbouleh. Turns out, I really didn’t. I also learned that cold water works wonders for couscous, a revelation after years of making questionable lunchtime versions with the hot water tap at work.
The biggest tabbouleh lesson was the sheer amount of fresh produce and herbs required: generous handfuls of parsley and mint, ripe tomatoes, cucumber and plenty of citrus.
From Filo Pie to Homemade Baklava
One of my favourite dishes was our greens and feta filo pie, made with leafy greens, garlic, lemon, ricotta, feta and plenty of fresh herbs.
Emily showed us how to layer and fold the pastry before we assembled individual pies in cast-iron pans. They emerged golden and crisp, with a creamy, lemony filling. It’s exactly the sort of dish I’d serve at a dinner party.
Now, baklava is something I have a slightly complicated relationship with. I’ve eaten incredible versions in Turkey, but I’ve also had my fair share of disappointing, overly sweet, syrup-soaked examples.
Our baklava combined pistachios and hazelnuts between layer upon layer of thin filo pastry. It required patience, but the careful assembly was worth it. Once baked, the result was golden, crisp, wonderfully nutty and, crucially, not overwhelmingly sweet. Perfect alongside a strong coffee or fresh mint tea.
A Dinner Party With a Difference
What makes Food at 52 special is everything around the cooking. The team were warm and relaxed, sharing stories and tips while quietly clearing our endless bowls and pans. Nothing felt formal or rehearsed.
And the fun isn’t over when the cooking is finished. We headed upstairs while the team transformed the kitchen, returning to find the communal table candlelit and our dishes arranged for everyone to share.
It felt like arriving at a wonderful dinner party, except we had cooked everything ourselves. We spent the rest of the evening sharing dishes and chatting with our new friends.
And I think that’s what Food at 52 gets so right. It’s not simply about teaching people how to cook. It’s about bringing people together through food.
Food At 52 Is The Perfect Foodie Night Out
Whether you’re a confident home cook or a complete beginner, Food at 52 makes learning feel unintimidating. It’s a brilliant alternative to the usual London night out, or a thoughtful gift for a foodie. Better still, the recipes are emailed afterwards so you can recreate everything at home.
With dinner-party season approaching, I can already see myself putting the new skills to use. That hummus, in particular, will be making a reappearance very soon.