STATE OF THE ART KITCHENS INSTALLED AT NEW NICK NAIRN COOKSCHOOL IN ABERDEEN

May 2012

Nick Nairn’s long awaited Aberdeen Cook School opened this month with the latest state-of-the-art kitchens from Kitchens International.  

Located in a stunning listed building, formerly St Nicholas Kirk’s old church hall in the city centre, the Cook School has been a passionate desire of Nick’s for several years to cater for the demand for would-be cooks from the North East. Having already fitted out the original Nick Nairn Cook School in Stirlingshire, KI knew what makes a good cook school kitchen.

Enhancing original features such as carved mouldings and a stained glass window, made for an interesting kitchen design but the final result is a stunning cook school in an inspirational environment. The design is half industrial and half domestic to work as a cookschool but give people the feeling they are still in a domestic environment.

KI Designer Helen Taylor chose handleless frosty white Leicht cabinetry with a handleless rail so that it had a sleek, minimalist, linear look. The lava coloured surrounds are resonated in the open niches for the future fitting of the I-phone effect TV screens to display recipes. Slimline Kohler ice rock, stainless steel sinks were used to take up as little space as possible. A 50mm wrap around worktop overhang was also created to allow room for the pasta machines and stainless steel worktops give it a touch of commerciality. For a splash of colour and domesticity China Blue Falcon range cookers were included.

Nick Nairn commented on the kitchens: “I have long been a fan of Kitchens International kitchens, cooking on them at the Port of Menteith Cook School and at home. Both the workstations and the demo area are practical and functional for hands-on cooking while still retaining style and elegance, making the cooking experience even more pleasurable.”

Paul O’Brien from Kitchens International said: “We have worked with the Nick Nairn Cookschool for some time and understand what it is to create a great kitchen for learning and demonstrating on. This kitchen design combines a good mix of commerciality within a domestic setting so that people can discover what it is like to transfer the cooking and preparation to the home environment.”

As well as offering traditional cooking classes, Nick is also trialling a brand new venture with short after-work and lunchtime classes in its Quick Cook Bar. This is a new urban concept, where participants can cook, learn and eat in two hours, picking up invaluable tuition from basic knife skills to creating culinary masterpieces.

The Aberdeen Cook School holds full-day classes for 24 people upstairs and downstairs there is a cook shop. It is also available as a private hire venue and for corporate days. It employs 10 people, including one of Nick’s senior chefs from Port of Menteith, and two well known local chefs, as well as Nick teaching classes on certain days.