FIVE kitchen novices have learned how to cook in just eight weeks thanks to lessons from retired cookery teacher Nicola Davies at a scheme run by Growing the Veg Box in Garndiffaith. Reporter, Hayley Mills, found out what difference the one day a week course had made to the students' lives.

Mike Tanner, 66, from Blaenavon, was busy preparing Jamaican potato and beans, and for someone who previously had never cooked before, he now finds his way around the kitchen effortlessly.

The retired civil servant decided to join the class to fill the spare time he had discovered after retirement.

He said: "My wife did all the cooking and as we have been married over 40 years I never had to. I saw the lessons advertised in the Free Press and thought I would try something different.

"Now I have the confidence to make risotto, pasties and curries. My wife is really enjoying the dishes and it saves me money as I use cheap vegetables, season them, and can then freeze the dishes."

Mr Tanner is even sharing his new found love of cooking with his son in America, by sending him recipes, pretty impressive for someone who until a few months ago didn't even know how to cut or chop vegetables.

"It has opened a whole new chapter in my life and I even stop and discuss recipes with people in the supermarket. "The assistant in the shop questioned me as to why I didn't just buy things like soup in a tin and I had to explain that I wanted to make it myself as I find it rewarding."

House husband, Chris Marchant, 39, decided to start cooking from scratch so he could offer healthy meals to his two children, age 4 years and eight months.

"I could do basic food like chips and prepare frozen foods, but I never tried to cook anything out of my comfort zone.

"Now I can follow recipes and I like to experiment as I have learnt what flavours go together, I never would have done this before."

Mr Marchant's wife, Christine, is said to be over the moon with his progress as she has her dinner waiting for her when she gets home from work.

It has also inspired Mr Marchant, of Pontypool to think of a possible new career path.

He added: "I love cooking now and in the future I would like to do a college course in cookery and possibly become a chef, then maybe with a bit more experience I could teach."

Busy mum and pharmacy technician, Cerys White, 28, was cooking minestrone soup in class.

She made following the recipe seem easy, and even finished preparing the ingredients ahead of the class and went on to support others with their dishes.

She said: "I never cooked before, because of my job I'm always first out and last home. Now that I have two children, one three years old and one nine months, I wanted to prepare quick meals but ones that are also healthy."

Mrs White, from Blaenavon, explained that although some of the recipes in the class she had found complicated, she took the recipes away and was able to experiment at home in her own time, using the tips she had learnt in the lesson.

She said: "I have grown in confidence and skills. My favourite dish to prepare is Russian fish pie and I can now make a lot of homemade sauces and pastry dishes.

"I will continue on to the next set of cooking classes as my family are enjoying the meals and I enjoy coming here to learn and socialise."

Prior to joining the project, Paul De-Warne, 46, did not have much of a social life after suffering from a brain tumour and being involved in an incident where he was stabbed. This knocked his confidence, he explained: "Having the tumour removed has affected my balance and after the incident it left me too scared to leave the house."

What a difference now. In the cooking class, he was icing a friend's birthday cake he had baked, and was proudly showing it off to other members in the group.

He said: "I love coming here. I'm now cooking at home, when I used to eat chips and frozen meals. It is now a hobby and it gets me out of the house to socialise."

Mr De-Warne, from Varteg, also works for the project, in the Veg shop, and is thoroughly enjoying his time there.

Retired civil servant, Doug Goff, 62, would have liked to have taken up cooking years ago but never found the time because of work. Now he is loving every minute of his time spend in the class.

He said: "My skills were average before but I wanted to learn recipes and here I get to mix with different people while learning.

"Here you can learn while at the same time having a laugh and I would recommend it to anyone."

Mr Goff, from Pontypool, was preparing a vegetable and chickpea korma, but his favourite recipes have been learning how to make pastry and homemade soups.

He added: "I'm looking forward to next week when we are making desserts. I will continue with the lessons as I have enjoyed everything that we have cooked.

"Now, instead of just having something and chips at home, I am experimenting with healthy recipes."

The proof was definitely on the plate, as the group sampled each other's dishes at the end of the class, the plates were left empty. Cookery teacher, Ms Davies said: "I am so proud of the group as they have come really far and grown in confidence."

Growing the Veg Box also run an established non-profit veg box delivery scheme and hope to expand the project in the future.

PANEL The cooking classes are free for everyone as the cost of tuition is covered by the Garnsychan Partnership.

Participants are encouraged to provide their own ingredients.

Classes are held three times a week, on a Monday and Wednesday.

For more information call Lee on 01495 775372.