National Gallery cafe launches cocktail & culinary masterclasses

London’s most prestigious art gallery is putting food and drink firmly in the frame this autumn with a trio of cocktail and culinary masterclasses.

The National Cafe – Restaurant and Bar, at the National Gallery, Covent Garden, is giving visitors the chance to learn the art of the perfect Tequila cocktail, the best craft beers to pair with food and the skill that goes into creating artisan cheese.

The events have been organised by the venue’s catering partner Peyton and Byrne and the first will take place on Thursday September 28, when resident Tequila expert, Emily Munro, will give cocktail lovers the chance to create the ultimate Margarita. They will also be able to sample an array of Tequila cocktails, accompanied by a variety of Mexican-inspired bar snacks and canapés.

On Thursday 26 October, craft beer will take the spotlight as Peyton and Byrne presents a special, five-course beer and food pairing menu of the finest British produce at the National Café’s private dining space, The Trafalgar Rooms.

The evening will include a range of craft beers in an exploration of London’s best breweries and the chance to learn more about pairing techniques and specialist production methods.

Rounding off the masterclasses, on Thursday 16 November, will be The Art of Cheese and the chance to explore the complex flavours of a wide variety of cheese produced by skilled artisan makers worldwide.

The cheese will be presented by Buchanan’s Cheesemonger and accompanied with wines matched by experts from Les Caves de Pyrene.

Guests will sample a variety of cheese and learn the basic rules of sensory analysis enabling them to recognise, understand and appreciate fine cheese.