Name: Nguyễn Quang Duy Thạch – 31191027408

Class: K45 - AV001

You went on a team-building cookery course like the one on page 77. Write an email to a
colleague about your experiences, either recommending or advising against it. Give reasons.
To: <kurtw@ymail.com>
From: <charlesm@ymail.com>
Subject: A team-building course
Hey Kurt
How are you and your team doing? I remember you mentioned something about having trouble
bringing your team together the last time we went for dinner. Since then I have begun to notice
that my own team, though highly effective when they work on a project, had little bond when it
came to out-of-workplace relationships.
So my team and I recently took part in this rather intriguing team-building course by The
Cookery School at Little Portland Street in London. You might have already heard about this one
but I’m going to give you our experience anyways, in case you haven’t.
As the name suggests, the course enables members to take part in cooking sessions hosted by
world-class chefs. At first we were quite reluctant, not because of the distance – it took only an
hour from Brighton to London, but because none of us were proficient at cooking. Yet much to
our own amusement, it all went really well. Our session involved preparing a French-styled full-
course meal for all our team members – six including me. We started off with the appetizer, in
this case cheese gougères with ham and rosemary, a type of savory pastry. The main course
was sheet pan steak-fries, a simple and beginner-friendly dish. And we finished with the classic
French apple tart with dried cherries.
Although the end results left a lot to be desired, the important thing was that in the process we
all learned something new about ourselves and about each other. Finding out that we did have
things in common greatly strengthen our bonds, not just as colleagues, but also as friends. The
course was also very therapeutic in a way. We had great fun and the guide chef was really easy-
going and patient, even though we were all covered in flour the entire time. Plus, the meals he
showed us are super easy to make with ingredients readily available anywhere. We came in
with uncertainty but left with smiles on our face.
In any case, I highly recommend this course if you haven’t already. I think it’s far more engaging
and practical than any other team-building activities. Details about the course can be found on
their website. Come have a look! I’m sure you won’t regret it.
Looking forward to hearing great news.
Charles