The first thing I notice about Angelica’s Kitchen, situated in a beautifully restored period house in Willemstad, Curaçao, is the fascinating colonial decor and antiques. But we are not here to admire the surroundings and I am briskly moved on and put to work in the kitchen.

Our morning is to be spent on a cookery course designed to improve our skills and teach us how to prepare a sumptuous Caribbean meal. The big incentive is that at the end of the session we will sit down to eat our lunch at a table set in the pretty courtyard.

Greeted with a refreshing fruit drink, we meet the team and don crisp white aprons. We are then split into groups and given our instructions. Each group is given responsibility for preparing, cooking and serving one of the lunch courses. I am put onto appetisers which involves vegetable chopping with a large, sharp knife. My team mates wisely keep their distance.

The menu today is deceptively simple, a five-course lunch composed of a salsa, ‘hidden’ sardines, pumpkin soup, beef with Caribbean vegetables and grilled pineapple. Dreading that Angelica will be a hard taskmaster, I dither over my chopping, but am relieved to discover that culinary imperfections are tolerated in this kitchen. When the starters are ready and the main courses are bubbling away, we are served a glass of wine as the conversation flows and appetites and friendships develop. The experience here turns out to be more about having fun than gastronomy, and there is much hilarity in the kitchen as our group proudly bears its creations to the dining table. Having said that, the proof of the pudding is certainly in the eating, and the food is delicious, washed down with a beautifully chilled bottle of wine.

During the course of the morning we have been told about the food – where the produce has been grown and bought – and given insight into the rich culinary history of the Dutch Caribbean islands. Happily replete, we leave the kitchen with a folder of Angelica’s recipes.

Although we are here as visitors to the island, Angelica’s activities also include events for Curaçao residents. In her weekly cooking lessons participants explore various international cuisines as well as seasonal themes for Christmas, Thanksgiving and St Valentine’s Day. The kitchen can also be booked for cooking parties or team-building activities.

• Angelica’s Kitchen, Hoogstraat 49, Otrobanda. www.angelicas-kitchen.com T: 869-7577

It’s catching on!
Fancy improving your culinary skills? There are plenty of other cookery courses to be found around the region:

St Lucia
At the Ladera hotel on St Lucia, chef Orlando Satchell runs free Saturday morning classes for hotel guests, including a trip to the local market.
• www.ladera.com 758-459-6600 or 758-459-7323

Antigua
Caribbean cookery classes are available at Nicole’s Table, Antigua, with Nicole Arthurton, who runs regular sessions in the privacy of her home in Cedar Valley. There are four set classes held on a regular basis for visitors, and a cookery club for locals. • www.nicolestable.com  Nicole’s Table Cedar Valley St John’s, Antigua 268 720 7441

Grenada
At Maca Bana Villas chefs from the Aquarium Restaurant next door will give you private cookery lessons in your own kitchen.
• www.macabana.com 473 439 5355.

St Kitts
At the Caribbean Cooks class in Basseterre, St Kitts, you will enjoy history, tall tales, and delicious recipes of the region. During this relaxed programme you can broaden your knowledge of the region’s cuisine and learn simple methods with which to tackle a complex cuisine. Learn about New World ingredients and the real history of barbecue and jerk seasoning.
• www.caribbeancooks.com  869 465 0099