About The Cooking Professor

Riki Kaspi the Owner of The Cooking Professor Cooking School born in Israel into a multicultural environment that revolved around food. Her Mother was from Turkey and came from a family of dedicated and intuitive home cooks. “There were no recipe books,” says Riki. “Recipes had always been handed down orally.”

When she and Heni immigrated to Australia, she realised her dream by taking over Riki Blake’s North Perth Café where she won critical acclaim for her cosy, intimate and buzzy little place specialising in North African and Middle eastern cuisine. Riki and Heni sold the cafe early in 2009 and embarked on travel again to Europe and the Middle East and on their return Riki started teaching at The Cooking Professor.

Riki is now a Chef at, and the owner of The Cooking Professor and has her own line of gourmet Moroccan inspired products “Riki Kaspi Spice Journey”.

My name is Mark de Souza. My Dad was a great cook and was very quick in the kitchen. He could whip up a meal in an hour. His passion for making freshly fried fish with his secret spices was always appreciated by all our extended family.

My favourite dish that makes me proud is my homemade Lasagne Bolognese. As you can see, I am a strong Italian chef, having worked 5 years with Italians, but I have also worked with French chefs in the Meridian Hotel.
I love when the guest enjoys the food and gives feedback about their fine dining meal.

The coolest thing in my career has been cooking in Bahrain for his Majesty King of Bahrain and his guest the Prime Minister of Singapore.

Having been passionate about all things cuisine for as long as I can remember, the opportunity to pursue culinary training in

French cuisine, when our family was relocated to Paris for my husband’s work, was a dream come true. I completed my diploma at the esteemed Ferrandi -Paris, and later honed my cooking skills under the guidance of a Michelin star chef.

Fortunately, my culinary adventures didn’t stop in France. I have also lived in Japan and Korea, which provided an incredible opportunity to immerse myself in diverse culinary cultures. I have learnt firsthand from locals how to prepare traditional dishes and source authentic ingredients and these experiences have shaped me into a seasoned professional.

I love sharing the skills and knowledge I’ve learnt on my culinary journey and have developed and taught a French patisserie program for teenagers and provided cooking classes for expatriates. Now settled back in Perth, I enjoy my role as a food demonstrator showcasing the amazing produce from the Southern Forests region.

I’m excited to be working alongside the team at The Cooking Professor, to offer hands-on learning and foster a supportive environment for students to explore their culinary interests.

I have worked my whole life in a kitchen somewhere…

I started my chef’s life age 19 in Wellington NZ, under the guidance of Al Brown 1 of New Zealand’s most famous chefs. Al pulled me from the dish pit and put me in my first chef jacket (I have gone through many over the decades).

Like all young chefs, full of gusto and with a thirst for fame, glory and money I headed west on my way to work the fine kitchen’s of Europe.

After moving to Perth in the late 90’s I dedicated my career to the Perth food scene.

Now I have the opportunity to share the tips and tricks I have picked up along the way with you.

I look forward to cooking with you soon.
Chef Dan

The Cooking Professor Cooking School was originally started by Peter Kenyon in 2007. Sadly, Peter passed away in February 2012.

We, as the current team at The Cooking Professor aim to make sure his legacy and high standards of cooking classes will remain. He was and always will be the face of The Cooking Professor.