Tracey J Dyer

If you are anything like me, before you know it Christmas Day is looming and you have nothing planned.

The following menu and recipes are my favourites from years of successful last minute Christmas Day lunches. I have also included many tips and tricks learnt as my years as a chef. Of course, you could buy already prepared meals, however why would you, when home cooked food tastes so much nicer, costs less and is healthier for you. If you are not keen on all of the cooking, or want to make it a fun, family event then get everyone helping. Kids love to cook!

I would love to see photos of your last minutes Christmas success stories, so please post on my Facebook page or email me(tracey@thecookeryschoolcyprus.com), and let me know if it is OK to use in this or future books.

Just a little about me, for those of you that don’t already know!

My passion for food and cooking began when I was a little girl growing up in South Africa, inspiring me to do a Cordon Bleu Diploma Course when I finished high school. From there on, there was no stopping me. I went on to run my own restaurant, manage hotels, be a Contract Catering Manager and then a regional Quality Manager, open my own private catering business and eventually culminating in lecturing Cookery Skills and Restaurant Management at Manchester University in the UK.

There is nothing I love more than to entertain friends and colleagues around the kitchen table, cooking, eating and tasting fine wines. Seasonal ingredients in Cyprus inspire me to cook a wide range of international foods, with Italian being my favourite.

I have, for as long as I can remember, wanted to teach children and adults alike – to cook in a fun and informal environment. To me, food and cooking are the perfect way to bring family and friends together, so the opening of The Cookery School was a dream come true!

Tracey