10 of the Best Cookery Schools in the UK and Ireland

10 of the Best Cookery Schools in the UK and Ireland




Autumn

is upon us and with the shift in season we’re suddenly
hankering after hearty stews and moreish casseroles. We’ve our roll
call of go-to recipes down pat at this stage, but are looking to
expand our repertoire somewhat. With a course for every price point
and type of cook – from the meticulous measurers to the
“more-the-merrier” types – our compilation of cookery schools will
see your skill set increase exponentially. No doubt your Sunday
dinner group will show a similar peak in interest once word gets
out you’ve perfected that beef bourguignon.


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The Raymond Blanc Cookery School

Oxford , United Kingdom

Live out your TV-chef-fuelled fantasies and discover a whole
stock of dishes in the kitchens of a two-Michelin-star restaurant
at Raymond Blanc’s much-lauded cookery school. Located in a
beautiful 13th-century house, make a weekend of it and book a
night’s stay at Le
Manoir aux Quat’Saison
s in Great Milton, a village of
undulating hills, manicured lawns and thatch-roofed pubs. Serving
up some wonderful dishes in an idyllic country setting (with plenty
of produce sourced from the pretty gardens), most courses focus on
recipes close to Raymond’s heart – the pork chop “Maman Blanc” with
sautéed potatoes, for example. At the school’s core, there is an
appreciation and love for food and family – we’re bringing our
mums.

Courses from £185

Address

Church Road
Great Milton
Oxford
OX447PD


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Ballymaloe

Cork , Ireland

Run by leading Irish-celebrity
chef Darina Allen, Ballymaloe Cookery School is situated on an
extensive organic farm. Notable chefs who have trained and taught
here include Jordan Bourke, Clodagh McKenna, Hugh
Fearnley-Whittingstall, Sophie Grigson and Rachel Allen – and
that’s just for starters. If confidence takes hold, the prestigious
Ballymaloe 12-week course covers a variety of cuisines and
techniques – by the end you’ll be equipped to start a career as a
professional chef. If this is some way above your skill rank,
Ballymaloe also puts on cookery demonstrations almost every weekday
from 1.45PM to 5.00PM.

Courses from £71

Address

Shanagarry
Co. Cork
Ireland
P25 R274


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Swinton Cookery School

Ripon , United Kingdom

With a rolodex of
courses
to choose from, you can cast a wide net or hone in on
one area in particular at Swinton. Far from a one-size-fits-all
approach, choose from seasonal and international cuisines or tester
your skills at chocolate making from just £35 for a morning course.
At its best in the autumn months, when a merlot of cinnamon and
rosemary fills the air, classes are held in a relaxed,
open-demonstration kitchen housed in a converted Georgian stable.
Located opposite the Swinton Estate hotel, book in for a long
weekend and compare your concoctions to the chef on alternate days.
The stand-out here though is the five-day course which adds
fine-dining to the mix, giving us high hopes (and serious notions)
for our next dinner party.

Courses from £35

Address

Swinton Park
Masham, Ripon
North Yorks
HG4 4JH


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Woodspeen

Newbury , United Kingdom

Like learning to drive, here you’ll have to do your theory
before doing any hands-on work. With a huge range of courses
available – from butchery to pasta-making – it’s best to take your
time when selecting yours. The vibe here is cooler than you might
expect of a Berks
cooking
school. While the outside blends with its surroundings,
inside the aesthetic has a
Scandi
air to it – think charcoal hues, panelled wood and
minimalist furniture. The Cookery School kitchen also serves as the
backdrop for Woodspeen’s Kitchen Table – an intimate set up that
seats 10 and affords guests the opportunity to cook along with the
chef and fellow diners. A great option for a milestone
birthday.

Courses from £65

Address

Lambourn Road
Woodspeen
Newbury
RG20 8BN


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Eckington Manor Cookery School

Ekington , United Kingdom

With state-of-the-art facilities and it’s cute-as-pie aesthetic,
it’s hard to find fault at Eckington. The perfect place to brush up
your culinary skills, choose from one-, two- or three-day courses,
catering to all levels of ability. Combine it with a weekend stay
and really make the most of the region’s natural larder. Surrounded
by rolling fields, the manor’s proximity to some of the freshest
produce in the British Isles is one of its greatest draws. If
you’re more of a traditionalist than a modernist, why not try out a
bespoke course which focuses on Aga cooking.

Courses from £40

Address

Hammock Road
Eckington
Worcestershire
W10 3BJ


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Leiths School of Food and Wine

London, United Kingdom

If you’ve ever tasted a Leiths-prepared picnic basket (we can
vouch for the ones they serve at Glyndebourne), it will only be a
matter of time before you’re signing up for a course at their
cookery school. Creating delectable dishes fit for an almost-queen
(the Duchess of Cambridge scrubbed up on her cooking skills here)
Leiths is a luxe-y
Londoner
‘s delight. Suave yet simple, come for an evening
session post-work or commit to a weekend-long itinerary of
clambering with pots and pans. We’re guessing there has been a
surge in their
baking
classes since Prue Leith started on The Great British
Bake Off – so go rogue and opt for something different.

Courses from £75

Address

16-20 Wendell Road
London
W12 9RT


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Le Cordon Bleu

London, United Kingdom

It would take a pretty plucky newcomer to sign up for a course
at Le Cordon Bleu knowing diddly squat about cooking. If you don’t
know your dijon from your dyson then, firstly, you are a moron and
secondly, this place isn’t for you. These courses are best suited
to those looking to finesse and fine tune their already extensive
skill set. From cuisine technique essentials to wine tasting, a
class at Le Cordon Bleu is a great present for Gordon Ramsay types
(read into that what you will). Improving your culinary skills
while brushing up on your French makes multitasking feel like a
breeze.

Courses from £175

Address

15 Bloomsbury Square
London
WC1A 2LS


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Bread Ahead

London, United Kingdom

If you’re a fan of rich, buttery breads and want to learn the
basics in baking, Bread
Ahead
is your motherland. More focused than other baking
courses, bread making is the only thing on the menu here. This
might sound over-simplified, but once you get into it there’s a lot
more to baking bread than you might expect. Try your hand at
artisan baking – from pain de campagne to ciabatta, brioche and
croissants; it’s probably best that a caveat is put in place
whereby you don’t eat all the goods you bake in one sitting. Their
gluten-free workshop is a top seller.

Courses from £80

Address

49 Pavilion Road, Chelsea, SW1X 0BP


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Food at 52

London, United Kingdom

In the mood for Vietnamese?
Or maybe
Italian
? Choose from multiple courses and pepper your taste
buds across a range of cuisines from
Thai
to
Moroccan
and Southern Indian at Food 52. Each cooking class is
centred on a particular cuisine and evening courses run from 6.30PM
to 10PM – perfect for an after-work debrief with your best friend.
We’ve had their Kitchen Confidence course on our radar ever since
we mastered the art of poaching an egg.

Courses from £115

Address

96 Central Street
London
EC1V 8AJ


restaurant

E5 Bakehouse

London, United Kingdom

Friday night spent learning to make sourdough pizza sounds like
a plan made in heaven (actually, London Fields) to us. Evening
classes at E5 Bakehouse run twice a month and to seal the deal,
beer is included in the price. If you’re an early riser (that
wasn’t a baking joke) and a baking enthusiast, try out their bread
making courses of a weekend and follow up the next weeknight you
have free with “The Bread Companions”. Here, you’ll learn how to
make jam, butter and pickles that will do justice to your
sourdough.

Courses from £70

Address

E5 Bakehouse, 395 Mentor Terrace, London Fields, E8 3PH

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