Eileen’s Cookery Classes
Our on-site classes are currently paused due to COVID19. However we are offering the following:
- Pre-recorded Online Courses (for young people and people with additional needs) in collaboration with any individual, group or organisation who wish to engage us
- Live Interactive Online courses for Team Bonding
- Live Interactive Online Courses in collaboration with any individual, group or organisation who wish to engage us
Our live interactive classes are ideal for schools especially those in TY classes. Please contact Eileen for further details.
Cook Along With Eileen: Pre-recorded Online Courses
Eileen realises that there are a lot of children and people with additional needs who are unable, due to COVID, to attend workshops or onsite cookery classes. So she used her prior experience in working with these clients to make some professional pre-recorded online courses which can be followed with assistance from family or carers online in their own home. The recipes are based on the Just Look and Cook Book series. The lessons vary in length and difficulty with a short easy one at the beginning, to allow the participants start the course gently.
Sign up is free to allow you to view promo video and one free class which demonstrates how the class works.
The Cook along with Eileen courses consists of 7 classes each with one complete recipe.Each lesson can be viewed multiple times.
Ideally each week the viewer moves on to the next class and by making the dish several times it will become easier as he/she familiarises themselves with it. A downloadable Word Doc is also available for each recipe.
Joining in the Cooking
Each class starts with a clean kitchen. Eileen directs participants to go around the kitchen getting the ingredients and utensils out of the press, fridge etc. Washing up and tidying the kitchen to leave it tidy is encouraged, as Eileen feels this is of huge importance as it will enable participants to be as self-sufficient as possible and not rely on carers for everything. Participants attend the class in their own home with assistance from carer/ family.
The Dishes:
Lessons include a variety of dishes of varied kinds, 12 in total, ranging in difficulty and length, all based on The Just look and Cook Series, which was created and self-published by Eileen. She has broken down the recipes to make them user friendly for participants. Lessons include: Fruit Smoothie, Easy Pizza, Chocolate Biscuit Cake, Vegetable Soup, French Toast, Pancakes, Pasta Bake, Spaghetti Bolognese, Chicken Curry & Rice, Buns, Fruit Scones, and Brown Soda Bread.
Background to online classes:
in addition to Eileen's live Facebook videos. In April 2020, Eileen organised and ran a complimentary online cookery classes for Special Needs students in Holy Family School, Charleville Co Cork as a pilot and this was extremely successful. Since then she has ran online courses with Downs Syndrome Mayo in conjunction with MSLETB & Quick & Easy Meals funded by MSLETB Sligo. Using her experience and expertise she has now created affordable, accessible online classes for beginner cooks of all ages, people with Intellectual Disabilities and/or literacy difficulties, who cannot attend physical classes. She takes great pleasure in introducing you to her new venture “Cook along with Eileen” Cookery Course.
Sample Cookery Class: Yogurt Crunch
Cook Along With Eileen: Team Bonding
Interested in setting up a team bonding activity for your organisation? Look no further!
Eileen’s Kitchen Table is delighted to offer online cookery courses which will enable your team to interact together in a fun way while learning a worthwhile skill. Courses are customized for each group. Eileen has a huge wealth of experience in facilitating cookery courses and ensures courses are interactive and informative.
Pricing and references available by contacting Eileen through the form or call her on 0872708627 to discuss the options available to your organisation.
Cook along with Eileen: Live Interactive Online classes in collaboration with any individual, group or organisation who wish to engage us
Get in touch with Eileen and she will discuss your dish selection and the format of the classes. Eileen has vast experience in facilitating courses with many organisations and education providers.
- Courses are usually run over 6 weeks
- Classes are usually 2 hours long
- The classes will be interactive and run on Zoom
- Recipients will be emailed recipes and the ingredient list 7 days in advance of the course day.
Pricing and references available by contacting Eileen through the form or call her on 0872708627 to discuss the options available to your organisation.
Cookery Course Experience by Eileen Kirrane
Eileen have been providing free cookery classes online on https://www.facebook.com/eileenskitchentable for the general public since lockdown and have amasses 16463 followers and 10,002 people who like her page and up to 50k views of some of her videos Eileen celebrated her 100th FB live in November 2020, a fact of which she is very proud.
Eileen's current online courses include
- Special Occasions run in conjunction with MSL ETB Sligo
- The Community Food initiative funded by Safefood and organised by Ballymote Family Resource Centre
- The Feel Well Programme organised by Sligo County Council
- Eastern Harps Family Cook along
Eileen has being employed by MSL ETB as a cookery tutor for many years. She works closely with Joan Moffitt ETB Family Learning Co-ordinator . Over time the scope of their courses has expanded due to popular demand.
Eileen has ran cookery courses for Seed Project Sligo Leader, Rehab Care, National Learning Network, Autism Services Sligo, Rosses Sheltered Workshop NW Parents & Friends, Boccia Group FRC Tubbercurry, Brothers of Charity Boyle, Ransboro Autism Direct Provision, Ballymote FRC, Aras Attracta Swinford, IONA & STEPS in Cregg House & most recently Cookery Classes incorporating Personal Hygiene ran by Sligo LEADER Partnership Company as part of their Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme
Eileen regularly works with children in the Autism After School Club Tubbercurry FRC, and through the Healthy Eating and Nutrition Afterschool Programme run by Sligo Leader Partnership.
Completed projects:
- 1:1 personal development through cookery program in Tubbercurry FRC
- Foroige, SVDP , Local ladies groups, Local ICA Groups, Spanish Students, and Men’s Sheds.
Eileen takes great pride in the enjoyment the participants take from the classes. The full and ongoing participation is high, with requests for further classes often requested. All of the classes are planned with the specific groups needs in mind. The clientele varies from group to group from the absolute beginner to more experienced cooks.
Eileen has every confidence that participants benefit from & enjoy the hands-on classes, benefit from learning new skills, experience a boost in their self-confidence , while enjoying the social aspect of a sit down meal.
During the Corona lockdown Eileen decided to make good use of her time while cocooning and started Facebook Live Cookery Classes every weekday. The response was phenomenal and very quickly Eileen had a great following. Her relaxed approach to cooking has her viewers hooked saying it is like sitting at the end of Eileen’s Kitchen table while Eileen Cooks. Due to demand Eileen has now self published Cooking while Cocooning eBook 1 & 2 and she fully intends to continue with the series to include the other recipes she has cooked in the series. Filled with hints & tips its a must have book to have on your worktop .
To see Eileen in action go to youtube/eileenskitchentable
The chosen method of teaching is very relaxed. Usually the students work in groups of 2 or 3 as this makes the session more sociable. At the end of the session everyone sits down to a tasty meal in a social setting.
The classes are ran in a mutually agreed location. All utensils are supplied, all ingredients are purchased and invoices for same are passed on to the organiser.
Qualifications:
- Primary Course in the Principals of Food Hygiene 2011(HSE)
- QQI/ Fetac Level 6 certification in Training Delivery & Evaluation Course run by Professional Development (formally known as Train the Trainer) in 2017
- Eileen’s Kitchen is approved by the Environment Health Dept HSE and their guidelines are followed during classes.
What you will receive:
- On completion of the course clients are presented with a certificate & chef’s hat.
For beginners, the Just Look and Cook book is used, which requires no literacy skills.
Fee:
Contact Eileen for more details.
During school closure Eileen very kindly hosted weekly zoom cookery sessions for us and our pupils. This was our first time facilitating online classes and it was a fun, interactive, engaging experience for all, especially our pupils. All pupils followed recipes from Eileen’s “Just Look and Cook” books. All recipes were easy to follow with step by step instructions and picture support. We made fruit smoothies, pizza wraps and French toast, to mention a few. Logging in online was not difficult and pupils got the opportunity to chat and show their masterpieces, which everyone was very proud of. Pupils were encouraged to continue cooking at home and use the support of Eileen’s series of “Just Look and Cook” books. It was a hugely positive experience for all.
Having just completed a twelve week cookery course, I can only commend Eileen on her professionalism, her understanding of different needs and capabilities and her unique ability to ensure the full inclusion of all trainees whilst delivering the course.
The men thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It was scary for them being given a recipe and told off you go and cook it. Having said that, they all managed to cook the recipes and sit down together and eat.
I really enjoyed the cooking classes. All the things we cooked were lovely and very handy to do them at home in not too much time!! I loved making the pancakes. They were delicious. I’m definitely going to try them at home.
Photographs From Our Students
A selection of imagery our pupils have sent us or we have taken during our courses.
