21 Day Plant-Based Gaia Gourmet Culinary Training Immersion and Certification in Ariege

Facilities

Exclusive surroundings, experiential eating

In this unique certification program, students participate in all aspects of catering a yoga teacher training. The course is based on tried and tested Gaia Gourmet methods and recipes under the guidance of Chef Naga. You’ll gain tools and insight to embark upon a new career in the plant-based culinary arts, such as catering yoga retreats and wellness events or working as a private chef. This program is also a great option if you’d like to join a friend or partner during their yoga course!

With love, for health

Your daily schedule will vary but expect to spend about 40 hours each week in and around the kitchen. You’ll be cooking from day one - working with the finest natural ingredients to create nutrient-dense gourmet cuisine in a precise, professional environment.

Other highlights include shopping for goods and produce at the best local markets and farms, optional group wellness excursions, and exclusive enjoyment of an exquisite private château in southwest France.

Curriculum

The Gaia Gourmet method centers focus and awareness, bringing mindfulness to the kitchen as they lovingly transform raw materials into a multisensory, communal dining experience. Space is limited to five participants per culinary training. This program is appropriate for all levels of skill and experience.

What you will learn

• How to set up a plant-based kitchen
• Produce 101
• How to choose produce at the market or farm
• Optimization of produce lifespan
• The versatility of nuts and seeds: nut butter, vegan cheeses, and garnishes
• The ultimate veg stock
• Spice combining
• Breakfast buffet: setup and specialties
• Lunch and dinner entrees
• Soups, dals, curries, and kicharis
• Salads and dressings
• Vegan, gluten-free desserts
• Gluten-free bread baking
• Knife skills
• How to handle dietary restrictions, special needs, allergies, and sensitivities
• Problem-solving on the fly in a live kitchen environment
• Menu planning, including describing and announcing dishes
• Scheduling and time management
• Meal service (front and back of house, including table setting and clearing)
• Strategic kitchen cleaning

Get ready to experience the beauty of the South of France as you embark on your yoga teacher training journey. The grand 18th-century château is situated in a newly designated natural park at the foot of the Pyrenees mountains, just three kilometers from the village of La Bastide De Serou. The Department of Ariege nestles in the central Pyrenees, next to Andorra, its highest peaks visible from Toulouse. It is one of the most unspoiled regions of France, whose inhabitants have held fast to their traditions. The countryside is wild but easily accessible. Top grade trout streams rush down forested mountainsides into rivers where kayakers paddle. Waymarked walking trails lead to 3000 meters peaks where isards (chamois), marmots, and even bears roam. Cyclists can take in a stage of the Tour de France, mountain bike down tracks or gently pedal in the valleys.

Numerous species of butterflies, orchids, and raptors thrive here thanks to the endurance of ancient farming practices such as the transhumance, when cows, sheep, and Mérens horses are led up to the high summer pastures.

Its many prehistoric caves, Cathar chateaux, and WWII escape routes over the mountains are testaments to the ways Ariège has served as a place of refuge and resistance throughout history.

Ariège

Ariège is a walker’s paradise, laced with hundreds of kilometers of waymarked paths for all abilities, from unpaved tracks through rolling countryside to blazed footpaths used by mountain inhabitants for centuries to high-altitude transpyrenean hiking trails that extend from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. A variant of the Way of Saint James skirts along the foothills to join up with the main trail at St Jean Pied de Port. Trails from France to Spain through the high mountains were used over the centuries by smugglers, Cathars fleeing persecution, downed WWII Allied pilots and refugees, and now are named for them: the Chemin des Bonshommes, the Chemin de la Liberté.

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A Mouthwatering Experience: Gourmet Vegetarian and Vegan Cuisine

Nutrition is more than just feeding the physical body. Food is essential on so many levels and that’s why Lakshmi Rising has chosen Gaia Gourmet Cuisine to cater all of the international retreats and yoga teacher trainings. This incredible cuisine nourishes every aspect of your being - supporting, nourishing, and cleansing your body, mind and spirit along your journey.

The talented plant-based chef creates three unforgettable Gaia gourmet vegetarian or vegan meals per day inspired by the world’s greatest cuisines. The healthy organic food is artistically crafted to please all of the senses. Meals are designed around the seasons using Ayurvedic principles while incorporating the best and freshest local ingredients, herbs, and spices.

They procure and serve all organic produce from local family farms. The meals are well balanced and prepared with love. This positive energy is infused into the food, aiding the digestion process.

Balanced Nutrition for the Body and Mind

It’s important that you are well-fed and completely nourished from the inside out when you join this training. With a vegetarian-based menu (and vegan and gluten-free options available), you will be provided plenty of protein by using legumes, seeds and nuts, artisan cheeses, and eggs from free-ranging chickens. %They only use whole grains and natural sweeteners. With an ever-expanding orchard of over 300 various tropical fruit trees, the freshly picked organic fruits make great complements to your dining experience. Overall, this will produce a more lively healthy body and mind and is the most environmentally friendly diet.

They always do their best to accommodate food allergies. They can omit certain items from dishes, such as cheese, dairy, and nuts. They cannot guarantee a completely gluten-free or nut-free environment. Persons with serious food allergies such as Celiac's disease or those on a 100% raw food diet should not attend a retreat.

The organizer must know of all serious food issues at least three weeks prior to arrival. Bring an open mind and allow your taste buds to savor this unique culinary adventure!

Your culinary course will be intense, but you’ll have plenty of opportunities to relax on one of several terraces or take a refreshing dip in the large swimming pool - with a great view, of course.

Optional excursions might include a visit to gorgeous Toulouse, known as “The Pink City” for its signature rosy stone, and home to the best wine bar in the world; and a delectable lunch and wine tasting from friends at Vineyard.

Shopping at local farmer's markets!

• Gaia Gourmet certification upon successful completion of the course
• Gaia Gourmet culinary training manual
• Gaia Gourmet apron
• 20 nights in luxury accommodations
• 3 incredible, organic Gaia Gourmet vegetarian or vegan meals each on-site day
• Unlimited coffee, an assortment of teas, and fresh fruit for snacks
• Self-serve laundry and weekly linen changes
• Full access to magical private properties including gardens, trails, swimming pools, and more
• Option to take yoga classes (schedule permitting)
• All applicable taxes

• Flights
• Airport transfers
• Group excursions
• Access to exceptional wine tastings, pairings, and producers

Recommended Airports

• A reservation requires a deposit of 14% of the total price.
• The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
• The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival.