IN FRANCE it's common for restaurants to be owned by their chefs. Less so in this country where chain eateries dominate our high streets.

That's not the case with La Bastille, a long-established restaurant in Corporation Street in Birmingham city centre.

Chef-proprietor William Noblett's runs an unfussy restaurant in which French dishes unsurprisingly dominate.

He's well versed in classical French cuisine, having worked with the likes of Roger Narbett at the long-gone Sloans restaurant in Edgbaston and Idris Caldora at the Swallow Hotel at Five Ways.

But Welsh-born William doesn't believe in mystifying French cuisine.

Indeed, each Tuesday night he holds cookery demonstrations in the restaurant, showing off dishes that customers can easily try at home.

"The whole thing lasts about 20 minutes from start to finish," he explains. "We do the demonstration in the middle of the restaurant and it's the sort of food that people can cook at home.

"It's all very relaxed and informal. We have a chat and a glass of wine then people can order the dish that has been cooked from the menu.

"We do dishes such as moules and crepes and chocolate desserts, which many people think are difficult but can be quite simple."

The latest season kicks off on September 9 and is called Marvellous Mussels priced £11.95.

William will demonstrate various ways of cooking mussels, after which customers can eat moules et pommes frites.

All demonstrations are priced at £11.95 and others include:

* September 16: Desserts for the chocoholics.

* September 23: Bouillabaisse de Marseille.

* October 7: Green cuisine.

* October 14: Recipes from the Dordogne.

* October 21: Vin de Languedoc.

* November 4: Coq au vin.

* November 11: Crepes.

* November 20: Beaujolais Nouveau.

* November 25: Stuffing the turkey.

* La Bastille, 220 Corporation Street, Birmingham, 0121 236 1171. For details visit www. labastille.co.uk