Discover Cookery Courses and Classes
The UK has a broad range of cookery courses available all over the country. Every city has cookery lessons of one sort or another. This could be a ½ day class of sushi making or a 1 – 3 year full-time diploma.
With cookery lessons covering all areas of cooking. This can be a professional chef diploma at one of the cookery training centres. Too a ½ day course in cheese making.
There is a huge range of options for every cooking enthusiast out there.
So first off, it’s an idea to plan what type, of course, cookery course you are looking for and then going from there. And hopefully I will give a few insights for cookery courses that you may not have considered.
There is also a number of online cookery options out there. However, I find these classes work fantastic when taught by a high profile world-renowned chef.
With these highly talented chefs, it would be near to impossible to have in-person training.
So the online option works well.
Want to Skip Ahead?
- Types Of Cookery Classes
- Cookery Day Competitions
- How To Find Cookery Schools Near Me
- 5 UK Cookery Schools
What Types Of Cookery Courses And Lessons Are Available?
The three main types of cookery courses are technical cookery, general cooking and preparation cooking lessons.
Technical, Professional Chef Courses
The professional-style courses are fantastic for anyone looking to move into a chef career. These courses can be completed full time or on a part-time basis.
For these full-time style courses, there will be add on costs. These can include knives, chef whites, safety shoes and books.
The culinary diploma usually includes work experience in professional kitchens.
Practical experience as part of the diploma
General Style Cookery Lessons For The Home Cook
There’s a massive range of cooking classes and courses to choose from. These classes can last from a few hours to a couple of days.
The lessons will usually cover a specific skill or style of cookery. Such as Korean cooking or how to make cupcakes.
Preparation Cooking Classes
Preparation classes are based on preparing ingredients. For example, butchery or fish preparation masterclasses.
Team Building Style Cookery Days / Work As A Chef Brigade
A kitchen team has to run smoothly with everyone working together to produce quality dishes. The need for effective communication and teamwork is essential.
With chefs out there running team building days in kitchens. With the attendees working together to prepare, produce and serve food to paying customers.
This could work for teams in a range of corporate businesses to help in effective teamwork.
Cookery Day Competitions On Social Media
There is a range of higher profile chefs out there who offer cooking days as a competition prize. By following these chefs on social media such as Instagram any competitions they post can then be entered.
To enter these competitions it can be simple like a page or answering a simple question in the comments.
For example, a Michelin star chef may offer a pasta cookery day as a competition prize.
Do You Want To Change Careers With A Cookery Degree?
Changing careers and starting on the kitchen brigade ladder as a commis chef. There are independent cookery colleges out there in the UK that run cookery diplomas and degrees.
These courses are great for a career change. Once completed the colleges generally have partnerships with top quality hotels or restaurants to start a chef career.
Cookery Experiences As A Gift
Cookery classes can be a great gift for enthusiastic cooks. With a range of websites out there offering cookery experiences.
Cookery Classes For Couples
This can be a great option for two people on a cooking course. There may also be a discount on the price for two people in the same class.
Are There Cooking Classes In The Evenings Only?
Cookery classes can be taken at a range of different times. Many courses will offer evenings as an option.
How Do I Find Cookery Schools Near Me?
There is a broad range of cookery classes around the UK to choose from. Depending on your location the options will vary.
For example, London has a very good selection of classes and full-time courses available.
- Elsewhere in the UK, the options will vary.
By doing a google search for the class you are interested in with a location identifier in the phrase. The nearest will show up on maps or on the search.
If you do not add the location identifier the results will show the more well-known cookery schools.
For example by adding the phrase ‘Pasta Cookery Classes Cambridge’ my results show classes for pasta making around Cambridge.
By not adding Cambridge in the search 3 of the biggest cookery trainers in London appear on the results.
Are There Cookery Schools With Accommodation?
For the long term professional style chef courses. Many of the cookery schools offer accommodation for non-local students.
Cookery Schools With a View
Do you like a great view whilst learning new cookery skills? There are cookery schools out there located in the most scenic parts of the UK.
These schools can make a fantastic change from cookery training in the cities.
Can I learn To Cook In Other Countries?
Foodie Cookery Holiday Retreats Abroad
Cookery retreats are a great way to take a break from the UK. Similar to a cookery holiday.
The courses usually run from small breaks of 4 days taking place in countries including Italy and France.
Are There Cookery Holiday Retreats In The UK?
The UK has a broad range of cookery retreats all over the country.
Private Cookery Lessons In Your Own Home
An incredible pool of talented chefs in the UK may choose to offer bespoke style cookery lessons. These chefs have the freedom to train as and when they like.
With talented chefs out there offering lessons in your own home. The basics and technical skills can be taught in your kitchen.
½ Day And One Day Cookery Courses
There is a huge range of one-day cookery courses out there all over the UK. These courses can range for example from a £100 3 hour cookery lesson to a local food market tour.
To a 1 day £1000 Michelin star cooking masterclass.
Cookery Courses Examples Include
- Cooking Basics
The basics of cookery are covered in many courses out there. Learning the building blocks of cookery is essential to create fantastic dishes.
Skills include knife skills, ingredients, basic cooking techniques, basic sauces, health and safety, food storage.
- Cooking On An Open Fire
Cooking over an open fire is the oldest way of cooking known. This type of cooking is great for one-pot cooking, frying, grilling and boiling. Learn the art of campfire cookery for an outdoor adventure.
- Children Learn To Cook
There is a broad range of classes for kids to learn the basics of cookery. Including baking cupcakes and making cookies.
- Cook Like A Professional Chef
Learn to cook like a professional chef in your own home or on a course. Find out how the pros, create menus, come up with the ideas of dishes, source the ingredients, cooking and the plating techniques.
- Vegan Cookery
There’s a huge range of special dietary cookery classes out there. With vegetarian and vegan courses being very popular choices.
Learn to prepare and cook vegan dishes for a little inspiration. Vegan dishes can be a little tricky to keep interesting so vegan cooking classes will expand on existing skills.
- Healthy Cooking
Learn how to start cooking in a healthy style. Picking the right ingredients and practice using healthy cooking techniques.
- Perfect Pasta Cookery
Pasta is a great option for quick and tasty dishes. Learning to make homemade pasta perfectly will add a great skill to anyone’s cookery.
- Cooking Asian Style Food
Asian style cookery is great to learn about using speciality ingredients. A range of spices, sauces and techniques from Asia.
Asia has many food styles including Chinese, Japanese and Korean.
Speciality Cookery Classes Include
- Pie Making Masterclass
Learn to create your own pies in pie-making pastry masterclasses.
- Cheese Making Classes
Discover how to make your very own cheese.
- Sushi Making Masterclass
Learn how to make sushi and how to make the best sushi rice. Practice the art of the sushi rolling mat for perfect sushi every time.
With a broad range of ingredients that include: vegetarian, fish and meat.
- Butchery Masterclasses
Your cookery skills can be taken to a new level by learning butchery skills. These skills help to cut costs of ingredients.
By buying whole parts of an animal and butchering the meat waste can be minimalised. Any leftovers from the butchery can be used in other dishes.
- Michelin Star Plating Techniques
With the best chefs out there producing great dishes. The art of plating is a fantastic skill to learn and looks great in images. Plating dishes to a high level looks great on social media.
Online Cookery Courses
Many cookery schools offer an online course option to learn from. This can be in partnership with their in-person training classes.
Other online cookery schools offer training on their online platforms only. This is a great way to learn from chefs from all over the world.
Some of today’s best chefs in the world also offer online training options. These masterclasses give everybody access to be trained on speciality skills.
To be trained by these chefs would mean either working with them or on one of their in-person training courses. And these courses will come at a premium price.
The online option gives everybody access at any time to learn the basics of world-class cookery.
What Are Cookery Gift Experiences?
The cookery gift experience can make a great gift for someone. Or even a treat for yourself. These are usually 1-day classes including cake decorating and pasta making.
There is a range of companies offering cookery day experiences. With a number of websites offering classes from different businesses.
Some Examples Of Cookery Gift Experiences
- Cooking Curry and Comedy Night
- Spanish Tapas making Class
- Lovely Recipes For Fish And Shellfish
- Thai Cookery Masterclass
- Vegan Baking
- French Patisserie Cookery
- Cupcake Baking Cookery
- Croissant Making Bakery
- Korean Cuisine Cookery
- Dim Sum Cooking Lesson
- Men’s Cookery Class
- Healthy Eating Cookery
- Day Cookery And Food Market Tour
- Kids Baking Cookie’s
How Many People Are On The Cookery Courses?
The size of the classes will vary slightly on places available and tickets sold. However, the class size is usually around 5 – 15 people on various gift experiences.
The size of the classes is not too big. This allows the instructor time to spend with each student as needed.
How Long Do Cookery Lessons Last?
Cookery gift experiences vary in duration with classes lasting from 1.5 hours to full-day classes. A full-day experience will last around 6.5 hours of teaching and breaks throughout the day.
How Much Do The Cookery Gift Experiences Cost?
The price of the lessons all depends on the size, type of cookery and the duration of the class.
The prices range from around £19.99 to £200. Discounts can often be found at certain times of the year.
What Are The Prices Of Cookery Courses And Classes?
The price of cookery classes will depend on the style and duration of the course. There is an option for all budget types.
Courses can be found for a few hours at around £19.99. With full-year technical courses around £30000.
- Speciality Cookery Courses and Schools With Examples
Training To Become A Successful Chef
The culinary field has enjoyed a tremendous rise in popularity in recent years, spurring more foodies to pursue their passion for food by becoming professional chefs.
Once you’ve decided to follow your dreams down the cooking road, one looming question remains. Where is the best place to get training?
To follow are some of the best cookery schools in the UK.
5 Elite Cookery Schools In The UK
From quaint little day workshops to full-time prestigious diplomas, there’s something for everyone who wants to become a chef in the UK.
Following are some of the best choices for learning superior cooking techniques and marketable food service skills.
The Raymond Blanc Cookery School at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons
This fine restaurant set within the grounds of Blanc’s 13th-century manor in Oxford also harbours a not-so-secret treasure.
A top opportunity in the world to receive cooking training in a two-Michelin-starred restaurant.
The school offers a variety of courses including baking and themed classes, and you may choose from one course for £400.
To a residential course in which you stay at the hotel on the grounds and partake in four days of training, at £4500.
Chef Academy of London
This school offers a unique twist on the road to becoming a chef in the UK. The professional-level training takes place with a chef trainer inside a partnering restaurant.
Choose from a 75-hour Intensive Professional Chef Course at roughly £2500.
Also, you can pay around £15,000 for a six-month Patisserie and Confection Course. The school also offers a Michelin Star Chef Course and Professional Italian Cuisine Course.
Along with hospitality and food science training.
Vegetarian Society Cookery School
For those who wish to cater to vegan and vegetarian clientele, the Vegetarian Society Cookery School offers focused training in a variety of cuisines.
These include Asian and Caribbean, plus gluten-free vegan cooking.
The school also features special offerings for young people, focusing on fast, affordable recipes. Day courses typically run about £125.
Making this a convenient option for expanding your skillset and enhancing your marketability as a chef.
Leiths School of Food and Wine
Considered one of the most prestigious chef diplomas in England. Leiths offers everything from short-term courses for home cooks to a comprehensive three-term professional training course.
Skills range from cheese-making to food photography, available in day classes, but if you want the entire three-part diploma plan to layout close to £22,000.
Swinton Park
Enjoy the stunning scenery while partaking in a five-day advanced cooking course at this 17th-century castle hotel.
Located in North York, the school offers both amateur and Professional Chef Development Courses. Catering to a wide variety of interests and skill levels.
As with many cookery schools in England, Swinton Park is a good way to sharpen your skillset if you’re already working in the industry, without a significant time commitment.
Le Cordon Bleu London
Generally regarded as the crème de la crème of British chef schools, Le Cordon Bleu’s exclusive Grand Diploma will set you back a hefty £28,500.
The school also has plenty of shorter courses, such as Wine Master Classes, a Bakery Course, and Gourmet Courses.
Le Cordon Bleu is not only a premier resource for cooking fundamentals but also gives students skills in hospitality and management.
If you’re looking to become a chef in the UK, there is a bevvy of options from which to choose.
Whether you’re prepared to commit to a multi-term, full-time venture, or are simply ready to add to your skillset.
Cookery Courses And Classes In The UK For You
There will be a cookery lesson or course to suit anyone in the UK. With a broad range of prices to suit your budget. The classes may be a 1.5-hour lesson to 3-year technical courses.
The three main areas to focus your search on being: Technical full-time Courses, general cookery and preparation cooking classes.
Courses are essential to learning to cook to a professional standard. Or to learn a new skill such as sushi making and mastering the sushi roll.
If you are looking to start a professional chef career or master the art of open fire cooking. A good look around at the options out there. You will find your perfect cookery course option.
