Browse all Courses
Browse all courses / Spice it Up!
Learn with Gelf Alderson

Spice it Up!

Learn how to build flavours with spices by taking the Spice it Up course on Learning With Experts.

Course overview

Learn how to create your own curry powder and a paste of garlic, onion and ginger - the building blocks of all great curries. Gelf will show you how to use these ingredients to make a curry, and a dhal made with English yellow split peas. You’ll also learn to make naan bread to enjoy alongside your curry.

Meet Gelf Alderson

Gelf Alderson is the Culinary Director at River Cottage having worked alongside Hugh F-W for nearly ten years. Gelf is a dedicated ambassador of the River Cottage commitment to sustainability. He was one of the early pioneers of the farm to fork philosophy and is passionate about using food that is farmed locally, sourced from the River Cottage kitchen garden, or foraged from the surrounding area. Gelf is able to communicate the importance of sustainable eating in a simple, practical and down to earth way. He is both engaging and charismatic and leaves people with a clear understanding and heads full of ideas to implement at home.

Course description

River Cottage Executive Chef Gelf Alderson teaches you how to cook with spices. Gelf will demonstrate how to build flavours with spices and how they can be used to enhance and compliment meat, fish and vegetables.

In each lesson you will learn how to use different spices and new techniques beginning with making your own curry powder in lesson one, how to marinade and spice your meat to perfection in lesson two, fish in lesson three and finally veg in lesson four.

You'll learn:
  • how to make your own curry powder and paste
  • spices to use for meat - including a River Cottage classic "Tupperware chorizo" and a tagine
  • how to use spices on fish
  • using spices with veg including salads
    • The course includes:
  • 4 on-demand video lessons - presented by Gelf Alderson and River Cottage
  • lifetime access to the videos, notes and interactive class
  • flexible classes - join and learn when and where you like
  • downloadable lesson notes
  • practical spiced food assignments and recipes (with tutor feedback available)
  • access on your mobile, PC, Mac or laptop
  • small interactive online classroom - chat online to students from around the world and share your creative ideas
    • Independent Cookery Schools Association approved

    This course has been approved by the Independent Cookery Schools Association (ICSA), recognising the highest standards of training.

    Time to complete the cooking with spices course:

    Every student is different but in general we think the whole course will take around 14 hours 30 minutes to complete including:

  • Video lessons: 2 hours 30 minutes in total
  • Course notes: 30 minutes per lesson
  • Your gut health recipe assignments: at least 2 hours per lesson
  • Interactive classroom time: 15 minutes per lesson
  • Tutor feedback review (Expert level): 15 minutes per lesson
    • You'll need:

    Your lesson notes will include the full details of the ingredients you'll need, but you will be making spied food, so you'll need standard kitchen equipment including knives, pestle and mortar, a selection of sauce pans, access to a plentiful array of spices.

    Ready to get started?

    Just add the course to your basket above - choose the 'Expert' option for personal feedback from Gelf on your spicy assignments.

    If you know someone who'd love this course then give it as a gift - just tick "This is a gift" at the checkout.

    Any questions? Contact us by clicking on the orange speech symbol - we'd love to hear from you.