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Learn with Gelf Alderson

Next Level Fish & Shellfish Skills

Learn how to master challenging seafood dishes, shellfish preparation and learn to source the most sustainable and fresh fish.

Course overview

In this lesson, Gelf explores various ways to prepare raw fish and shellfish to eat raw. You’ll learn how to make a classic Latin American ceviche with of raw bream, citrus and chilli. He’ll also teach you how to make a stunning Carpaccio and an impressive Scallop Tartar.

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's Executive chef Gelf Alderson teaches you how to cook seafood. Next Level Fish and Shellfish dives into deeper waters where you’ll learn to tackle more difficult seafood recipes such as Crab Bisque and Oysters Rockefeller.

Gelf will tell you more about using sustainable fish and guiding you through sourcing and preparing a broad selection of seafood such as cephalopods (squid and octopus), oysters, raw fish and more. You'll learn some favourite River Cottage recipes including Squid with Pumpkin Seed Satay and plenty of classics, including ceviche, carpaccio (made with bream) and a scallop tartar.

By the end of this course, you’ll have the confidence to cook crab and understand why making it fresh yourself tastes so much better. You’ll also learn how to pick crab meat like an expert and turn the shells into a rich stock which you’ll use as the base for an indulgent crab bisque.

You'll learn how to source, shuck and serve up oysters - including recipes for cooked and baked oysters.

This course really pushes the boat out, giving you a level of skill on par with professional chefs and it will certainly boost your confidence and entice you to be more adventurous with your fish and shellfish cooking and eating.

You'll learn:
  • how to prepare raw fish and shellfish including ceviche
  • how to cook a live crab
  • sourcing and preparing cephalopods including octopus and squid
  • oyster recipes - raw and cooked options
    • 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 seafood 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 seafood cooking course:

    Every student is different but in general we think the whole course will take around 14 hours 20 minutes to complete including:

  • Video lessons: 2 hours 20 minutes in total
  • Course notes: 30 minutes per lesson
  • Your fish and seafood 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 fish and shellfish dishes, so you'll need standard kitchen equipment.

    Ready to get started?

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