I don’t think I’ve ever become obsessed with an ingredient quite as quickly as I have with saffron.

Once you try truly exceptional saffron, there is simply no going back. Suddenly you want to add it to everything. Rice. Tomato sauces. Chickpeas. Roasted vegetables. Cozy warm beverages & chocolate, and especially ice cream! It has this extraordinary floral, honey-like aroma that transforms the simplest ingredients into something unforgettable.

On top of all that, I’ve also always loved saffron beyond the plate. It’s one of the very few spices whose scent I genuinely enjoy in perfumes. There is something incredibly joyful about it and, interestingly, saffron has even been studied for its potential mood-enhancing effects. Whether that’s the science or simply the joy of eating something so fragrant and beautiful, I don’t know. But every time I cook with saffron, I feel happy.

Which is why I’m so excited to dedicate an entire evening to this remarkable spice.
On Friday, 11 September, I’ll be teaching at Divertimenti Cookery School in Knightsbridge, London, alongside Laila Ahsan, founder of Attar Apothecary.

Divertimenti is one of London’s best-known cookery shops & school (2-in-1) and has welcomed celebrated chefs before and after their “big break”, including Sami Tamimi, Gordon Ramsay and Sabrina Ghayour. To now have the opportunity to teach there is something I’m genuinely excited about.

Even more exciting is that I get to share the saffron I love cook with at home. Attar Apothecary single-origin Sargol saffron from Iran completely changed my understanding of what saffron could be. Sargol saffron is a high-grade Iranian saffron made entirely from the vivid red tips of the stigma, with the yellow/orange parts removed, giving it particularly concentrated colour, aroma and flavour. Yes, there are 5 “officially recognized” types of saffron, based largely on which part of the stigma is included and how it’s cut. Together we’ll show you how to recognise high-quality saffron, prepare it correctly (a step many people overlook), and make the most of every precious thread. Once you understand how to use saffron properly, it becomes far more accessible than most people imagine.

We’ll then bring it all to life through a menu that gently carries us from the end of summer into the first hints of autumn, celebrating just how versatile saffron can be in plant-based cooking.

The menu includes:
– Timeless Iranian saffron rice
– The dreamiest cauliflower with a fragrant coconut, pistachio, cardamom and saffron sauce
– Roasted courgette with tomato, walnut and saffron
– Bonus recipe: Saffron-Lemon Tahini, a dressing you’ll want to drizzle over just about everything. Ah yes, I had to find a way to sneak tahini in there 🙂

The evening includes refreshments on arrival, a light dinner featuring tasters of every recipe accompanied by saffron lemonade, and the opportunity to purchase Attar Apothecary’s saffron and signed copies of my cookbook, Food Curious.

If you’ve ever wondered how to recognise real saffron, why some saffron is dramatically better than others, or simply wanted the confidence to cook with one of the world’s most extraordinary spices, I’d absolutely love for you to join us.

I have a feeling the room is going to smell absolutely incredible.

Bonus Points!

And if you’re #foodcurious about saffron, here are recipes from my kitchen where I’ve licked my fingers (and the plate!)