Good cooking doesn't always come naturally, not even in France, home of fine food.
And especially not at Christmas, according to Chef Steve Hanot, who offers special Christmas courses to teach the art to students keen to discover the mysteries of producing such delicacies as Foie Gras Macaroons.
His cookery school in Paris, L'Atelier des Chefs (Cooks' Workshop), set up in 2004, has twelve workshops around the world with 100,000 students enrolling every year, many for his special Christmas cookery classes.
As well as the celebrated French delicacy foie gras, the school gets requests for other Christmas specialties, from chocolate to scallops.
"Christmas holidays are very important. I was bored with the traditional foie gras on toasts with figs and jam," said 30-year old Caroline Nedellec, who's promised her mother she'll prepare the starters for the family at Christmas according to old original recipes.
"It is a family celebration," said 60-year old student Alain Giacobini about Christmas. "It is a moment of joy, of happiness, so the cooking has to go with it.... it's festive."
Hanot started his career in Michelin starred restaurants in London, later joining the team of Paul Bocuse and learning the art of making French traditional food.
He now teaches amateurs and professionals at "L'Atelier des Chefs".
Cooking, he says, is about learning how to use seasonal products, especially for times like Christmas.
AP