10 Fabulous Cooking Classes to Try in the UK

The best thing about UK food is its diversity. Yes, we have traditional British dishes like roasts and scones and Old English puddings, but we also have great Chinese, Italian, Indian and other international food scenes.

I love to cook and I also love discovering new dishes to cook and new ways of preparing food, so I have found cooking classes to be great experiences. I picked up my first one as part of a bachelorette party many years ago and have been taking them ever since. Here are 10 fabulous cooking classes to try in the UK.

1. Sauce by The Langham

London

Located inside the luxury London hotel, The Langham, Sauce is run by the hotel’s professional chefs who offer full day classes where you can delve into food preparation, knife skills and masterclasses, or short building block classes where you You can learn the basics and learn some trade secrets. There is an events calendar on the website where you can view upcoming classes, see how many spaces are left in each class, and make your reservation. The hotel’s restaurant is run by chef Michel Roux Jr., and you can book a masterclass at the cooking school with the chef himself.

2. The Ancient Baking Sheet

Cotswolds

In the beautiful Cotswolds, experienced home cook Annabel invites you to her lovely Cotswold cottage to cook in your own kitchen. The Old Bakehouse offers intimate and personal cooking classes for all experience levels. It’s informal and everyone gets cups of tea and slices of homemade cake in the cozy country kitchen. Classes include a taste of Italy, home cooking, and Tipsy Afternoon Tea and Friends Reunited group classes. On a beautiful day, you can enjoy your creations in the Annabel’s charming garden. Contact Annabel to arrange a class, there is no minimum number of guests, so whether you want to bring a friend or help teach your grandchild how to cook, Annabel will accommodate you.

3. The Artisan Baking Sheet

west sussex

If, like me, you love the smell of a bakery and there’s nothing more comforting than freshly baked bread straight from the oven, you’ll love this cooking class. The Artisan Bakehouse has a traditional wood-fired oven, which is great to see and experience, but you’ll learn to take your skills home with you and also bake bread in a regular oven. If you’ve never baked bread before, there are

“Introduction to Baking” class.

If you are already an experienced bread maker, you can try something different. You can book a class for sourdough baking, cakes and Mediterranean bread. There is even a chocolate-making masterclass. You can also stay on site in one of the two cottages or in the shepherd’s hut. There is an outdoor heated swimming pool on site and many lovely country walks nearby, making this a lovely place to spend a few days.

4. Niki Webster

Cheshire

Run by Niki, a food blogger and cookbook author, these classes are held in a variety of locations, including the Cheshire Cookery School in Altrincham. Classes vary depending on the seasons, as Niki uses seasonal ingredients and tailors classes for the time of year and location. What always remains the same is the premise of these classes. They are always herbal. Drinks are included in the class, as are some snacks, and you can either eat what you made afterwards or take it home. If you want to take your food home, please bring your own tubs as these are not provided. Keep an eye on Niki’s Facebook and website for upcoming classes, which can be booked online at The Cheshire Cookery School or elsewhere.

5. Via Philleigh

Cornwall

Located in an old Cornish farmhouse, Philleigh Way Cookery School is run by Rupert Cooper who is obsessed with food and passionate about all aspects of food. There is an ongoing calendar of classes and events, from Italian cooking, pizza masterclasses and vegetarian cooking to classes focusing on fish, game and sweets. There are Indian cooking classes and special classes for certain times of the year. You can also dine here on special occasions. If you’ve taken a cooking class and want to try something else, there are also classes in floristry, photography and yoga. You can book classes through the website, where you will find the next dates on which each class will take place.

6. The Arches

yorkshire

The Arches is kept in a converted barn on a farm in North Yorkshire and is run by Sarah Muir, who used to provide catering for touring rock stars such as Elton John, Whitney Houston and Lionel Richie. Now she has left the touring life behind and has set up shop on the farm, offering cooking classes with years of catering experience. There’s an ever-changing calendar of classes, including Italian cooking, couples’ classes, a class that focuses on cooking with pork, and a vintage teahouse where you’ll bake cakes and organize the perfect tea party. These classes are incredibly popular and sell out quickly; so if you want to experience one, it’s best to book a few weeks in advance.

7. Mandira’s

guildford

At Mandira’s, visitors can learn how to start their journey into Indian cuisine, with the Easy Indian Cookery Lesson for Beginners, or anyone with some experience can try the Fish and Indian Street Food Class, where they’ll learn to perfect the tastiest Indian food. food and cooking with fish. There is also a vegetarian cooking class. All classes last half a day and include all ingredients and cooking utensils. Each class begins with a spice masterclass so that you can familiarize yourself with the most important elements of Indian cuisine. You can book classes online, where upcoming dates for each class are shown. The vegetarian class is especially popular, so if you want to book this one, get there early.

8. Breaks for cooking over an open fire

The Bottle & Glass Inn, Henley On Thames

Set in the Binfield Heath countryside on the outskirts of Henley-on-Thames, The Bottle & Glass Inn offers a number of open fire cooking breaks. Based in the garden, a tipi tent with wood stove and outdoor kitchen will function as a field classroom. During these laid-back cooking days, guests will have the chance to use the wood-fired oven as well as cook with a variety of open-fire cooking kits, from hanging frames, chicken baskets, barbecue crosses, hooks, chains and planchas. to cook directly on the ground. Attendees will also enjoy a series of demonstrations, learning about cooking techniques, preparation, controlling fire and developing recipes. Cooking breaks are led by David Holliday, chef and co-owner of Bottle & Glass Inn. The courses will take place in February, June and September.

9. Eureka

simpsons, birmingham

Eureka is the culinary school side of Simpson’s restaurant, a Michelin starred restaurant in Birmingham. Each class shares the skills and techniques used by Simpsons chefs to create beautiful dishes, giving participants the confidence to discover and unleash their culinary talents. It’s a 9am arrival, which includes a welcome cup of tea or coffee and a behind-the-scenes tour of the restaurant’s kitchen, before heading upstairs to the purpose-built cooking school kitchen.

Cooking classes are a hands-on experience, with chefs helping guests create fabulous contemporary dishes. After cooking, everyone is invited to take a short champagne break while the Simpsons crew sets up the chef’s table. This is where guests sit together and enjoy lunch, which includes some pre-prepared dishes. Participants are also invited to help the chef prepare the dish, learning essential techniques for a Michelin-class presentation.

10. Chewton Glen

Hampshire

Situated in Chewton Glen, an 18th century country house hotel, the cooking school is overseen by celebrity chef James Martin and includes a ‘kitchen’ restaurant which can be booked for special occasions. Classes cover a wide range of cooking and include knife skills, Greek cooking, Thai cooking, sushi classes, Korean, puddings and vegan cooking. The chefs who lead the classes are all highly trained professionals, so these are classes where you will learn many skills, but there is no experience requirement. You can take the course if you’ve never cooked before or if you want to learn some in-depth skills from culinary professionals. The website is clear and offers a lot of information about the courses, including if there are places available. You can book directly through the website.

Pro tip

Be prepared to be confused! Don’t wear your best outfit to a cooking class, you’ll be wearing an apron anyway and it will look messy. Whenever I go to a cooking class I end up with ingredients, flour, oil and more all over me, so allow for a little spillage!