City diners invited to 'stew it yourself' at quirky Glasgow restaurant

Oct 15 2009 By Mark Smith

DINERS are being invited to make their own dishes at a new Glasgow restaurant.

Cookie will be the first restaurant in Scotland to invite customers into the kitchen to prepare and cook the food.

They will have access to quality ingredients and be guided by a trained chef.

The eaterie is the brainchild of Scots-Italian architect Domenico Del Priore.

He hopes the concept of "horizontal cooking" will break down barriers between chef and diner.

Inspired by open family restaurants in Italy, Domenico predicts "self cooking" will be the next big thing.

He said: "Cookie's kitchen is open for all to see.

"It will act like a cooking club. It will be a club, a bar, an off licence and a food and wine importer.

"We see it very much as a community resource centre for cookery, healthy eating and art."

Domenico is a Glasgow School of Art graduate who was born and raised in the city.

The restaurant, in Nithsdale Road, Pollokshields, is co-owned by Domenico and his wife Dr Melanie McCallum, a public health specialist.

The kitchen will be run by head chef Ian Wilson. It will also offer chef-cooked meals.

Restaurant critics have welcomed the new style.

Elizabeth Carter, editor of the Good Food Guide, said: "I have to say that I love going to restaurants and getting food cooked for me.

"In many ways, that is the point. But I am a real foodie and I love watching a chef cook, and I love being in the kitchen with a trained chef.

"Clearly, this restaurant will be providing something that diners want - to be in a kitchen cooking with good ingredients, under the guidance of a top chef.

"They want to be involved in making the food.

"It really is a lovely concept and it offers something new."