Gabriel puts his stamp on new hills school

By Tania Martin
BUDDING cooks dreaming of a life in the kitchen can now learn all the tricks of the trade.
Renowned TV chef Gabriel Gatè joined the Wild Oak Restaurant last Thursday to officially launch Olinda’s first cooking school.
After a delicious lunch, Gatè cut a ceremonial ribbon to open the school.
But hills people have been learning to cook at the school for months.
Although it was officially launched only last week, the school has been operating since February.
Wild Oak owner and award-winning chef Ben Higgs said opening the school was the realisation of a dream.
Mr Higgs said after many years of being asked his ‘secrets’, he decided to open a school.
“People used to ask me how we make things taste and look so good in the restaurant,” he said.
The dream of opening a cooking school became a reality when a space next to the Wild Oak Restaurant became available in Ridge Road, Olinda.
Mr Higgs has designed a variety of classes for everyone’s tastes, from having fun with food to tricks of the trade workshops.
The Wild Oak Cooking School is located at 232 Ridge Road, Olinda.