THE JOURNEY AND MISSION
Aly’s Story…
My focus is on helping people realise that vegan food can be delicious, look and taste amazing and is every bit as substantial and meaty as its carnivore counterpart dishes. Even when using ingredients you have in the cupboard and fridge all the time. No hard to find ingredients. No big budget shopping. Just great recipes for your family through the week and the holidays.
Aly is a classically trained chef, tutor and food writer originally from North Wales, now living in the French Alps.

My late Mum, Iris, was largely responsible for my interest in cooking, and I remember cooking with Mum and taking in everything she taught me.. and did in our family kitchen from a very early age. There was always chutney bubbling on the stove, or a cake baking when I got home from school. When I was 7 or 8 years old she would make curries, homemade pizzas and lasagne for when friends came over, and back then in the mid 70s that was pretty special!
I began my career at 16 years old, first at catering college and part time jobs. From there it was onto uni for some more hotels and catering training followed by a year studing Cordon Blue Cookery at what was The Tante Marie School of Cookery. By the time I was 21 years old I had progressed to the role of private chef onboard super yachts and motor sailers cruising the Mediterranean, Indian Ocean and onto the Caribbean.

By the time I’d hit late teens, I had already developed a passion for meat free cooking and this quickly became my speciality throughout my cooking career.
It wasn’t long before I decided vegan and meat free was my passion the only way forward. This is what I wanted for myself and others who I could help gain more confidence in their meat free cooking.
My travels and work have taken me around the world visiting many wonderful locations, which have provided me with a learning experience, that I couldn’t have found in any training centre or school.
I moved to France in 2016 with my then 10 year old son and continued building my business online. The transition from face to face working and private cheffing for clients was quite the learning curve. I knew it was my best route to reach more people around the world, and educate about plant based cuisine.

I continue to cook and develop recipes today, teaching people to create fabulous meat free meals via from quick and easy family meals, to budget recipes and dishes for entertaining and dinner guests.
My focus is on helping people realise that vegan food can be delicious, look and taste amazing and is every bit as substantial and meaty as the carnivore counterpart dishes. Even when using ingredients you have in the cupboard and fridge all the time.
Thanks to my knowledge and skills in web development and all things digital, I was able to create an online learning space, known as Cooks Studio to members. I’m still creating plenty of free content and recipes, here on Aly CJ Cooks website and also on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Type #alycjcooks into Google and you’ll find me!
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