School Belonika et Chefs UK INSIDE

Nika Belotserkovskaya is a popular culinary blogger, a writer who won the love of millions of readers with various recipes original food. Belonika not only writes and comes up with recipes herself, but also makes cooking videos and holds cooking schools in different countries: Italy, France, Great Britain, etc.

In March 2020, for the first time, Nika Belotserkovskaya’s school was held in Great Britain at Earls of Sommers’ family estate, Eastnor Castle, located in the most picturesque region of England, the Costwolds. Here are the beautiful views of the English countryside, celebrated by many English poets and writers, and furthermore, the castle is located on the border of three English counties famous in the gastronomic world. Herefordshire beef, Gloucestershire pork, cheeses, perries, ciders and gins, the most delicious apples, jams, honey, and wines – there are many specialties for which this region is famous, and also immortalized by English poets and writers and authors of cookbooks.

You’ve probably heard about the Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake, perhaps the most astonishing competition in the world. Its main participant for more than 200 years has been a round of Double Gloucester cheese. This particular cheese was not chosen by chance – its taste deserves to be a prize for the winner.

My job was to find gastronomic locations and specialties that could demonstrate to school guests how tasty and interesting British cuisine can be.

The best chefs worked for the guests, the guests visited Michelin restaurants, the UK’s leading etiquette and protocol training institute gave them etiquette lessons, they immersed into the atmosphere of Shakespearean times thanks to British immersive theatre. Probably the most impressive event was the gala dinner and ball we organized for them at the castle. One of the dinners was cooked by Evgeny Chichvarkin, and a sommelier from his restaurant Hide held unique port wines tasting for the guests. Alexey Zimin and myself as his sous-chef made the farewell dinner at the castle.

The school lasted only 3 weeks and not everyone could get into it. I am looking forward to the next year school!

The most magical thing for me personally in this project was that miracles happen and take the most unexpected forms. In 2011 Nika, who was born in Odessa, presented her book “About Food. About Wine. About Provence”. There was a long queue to sign a book, and then I hadn’t enough of something: either a book, or nerve, or time 😊 Then, in our cooking school, we did a whole course with Nika’s recipes and it was one of most loved and popular courses. And so, after 9 years, I finally signed it in the most unusual circumstances 😊 In a completely different country, living in a castle, working for Nika, being part of her cooking school. This is the evidence of what happens when you do everything your own way and remain true to your cause, dreams, and goals, no matter how stormy life can become!!!