Pick Up New Culinary Skills In These Cookery Courses

Preparing a meal

Score some serious brownie points at home with this comprehensive cookery course, where you'll learn all about basic food handling and preparation skills before trying your hand at some tasty classics. From breadmaking and fantastic fish dishes to vegetarian and delicious desserts, there's certainly something for everyone.

Pick up the tricks of the trade under expert tuition, then roll your sleeves up and get stuck in. Afterwards, you'll get to sample the fruits of your labour and chew over the verdict with the rest of the group. It just goes to show that you can have your cake, and eat it too!

Whether you're a vegetarian, seafood lover, full-on carnivore or if you've got a persistent sweet tooth, there are a range of Cookery Courses available to suit virtually every taste, preference and budget imaginable.

Are you always the cook that spoils the broth? If you’ve got butter fingers in the kitchen, or if dinner parties put you in a pickle, try this cookery course on for size. You'll learn how to prepare, cook and serve up your favourite fare from first-rate chefs, turning those half-baked ideas into delicious dishes fit for a king (or for your friends and family at least). Choose from a range of courses to suit your personal tastes and you'll soon be chopping, cutting and cooking up a storm with gusto. From timeless classics to contemporary creations, tap into your inner foodie and bring home the bacon in this fantastic and comprehensive course. Your friends and family will thank you for it!

General cookery courses

Professional kitchen

Pick up tips and tricks from professional chefs on a variety of general and specialised cookery courses.

Available all over the country, most cookery courses are carried out in small groups with an expert chef on hand who will offer demonstrations, explain how to handle and prepare raw ingredients, and how to flavour and cook them to create a classic dish or whip up a contemporary creation. Some courses are taught by Michelin-starred chefs, others take place in beautiful fine-dining establishments. Wherever you choose to take your course, the atmosphere is always designed to be fun and informal so even the most novice of cooks will find something to suit their confidence level.

With the help of your instructor you'll pick up plenty of valuable skills throughout the course, which can last from an hour or an evening up to a whole day. You'll get to try your creations at the end of the session and most courses offer a glass of wine to enjoy with your meal too.

Once the session has finished you'll usually get to take home some recipe cards and perhaps other culinary-themed gifts such as a complimentary apron (depending on the experience), as well as plenty of useful know-how that's designed to boost your confidence in the kitchen.

Specialist cookery school

If you've nailed the basics of cooking at home but want to brush up on a specific skill, opt for a specialist cookery course. These focus on one skill or one type of cuisine.

Want to become a sushi master? Feel your knife skills need massive improvement? Want to learn how to bake sublime pastries? You'll find courses for each of these, and much more. Examples include:

  • Asian cuisine
  • Butchery courses
  • Bakery courses
  • Cupcake decorating
  • Indian cuisine
  • Knife skills
  • Sushi making

Specialist courses are similar to the general cookery courses, with the difference being that the specialist option concentrates on a very specific area of cooking, be that a skill, or a region of the world.

Read, Steady, Cook! - What You Need To Know

  • WHEN: Courses take place throughout the year.
  • WHERE: Cookery schools cover the land. The top brands are based in and around London, but you'll find plenty of choice outside the M25.
  • WHO: Due to such variety, there are courses to suit complete beginners right through to experts. Learn the basics with a general cookery course or hone skills with a variety of specialist courses. All you need is a willingness to try, which is why these courses attract a diverse range of participants.
  • OCCASIONS: Cookery courses are something a bit different for birthdays and Christmas. They're also great for someone moving into their first home. While the circumstances might be really tough, these courses are also ideal for widows who may have never cooked before.
  • PRICES: Expect to pay upwards of £25 for a really quick and basic lesson. Upwards of £100 will generally secure a full day lesson. Courses at a top brand school typically start from £200. (correct at the time of writing)

Top cookery lessons to try

There are hundreds of cookery lessons to choose between, so picking the right now can be tricky. Here's my suggestions for general lessons as well as those that hone specialist skills.

YO! Sushi Workshop for One

Sushi is a great go-to snack but how do you make it? Create inside-out rolls, maki, nigiri and temaki under expert guideance from an experienced YO! Sushi chef. Munch away on your creations and get a professional sushi mat and Sushi School booklet with step-by-step recipes to take home.

From £30 per person from Virgin Experience Days (at time of writing)Learn more


Cheese Making Course

This is a great example of a specialist course. After all, how many of us can claim we've even thought about making our own cheese? This great value three-hour course takes place in London, Maidenhead, and Chelmsford, and will show you how to make Mozzarella, Ricotta, and Paneer cheese. You'll also have a chance to flavour some soft cheeses. Afterwards, you can enjoy your handiwork along with home-baked breads, chutneys and cold-pressed house oils.

From £30 per person from Into The Blue (at time of writing)Learn more°


Exclusive Indian Cooking Class Surrey

If the thought of a group cookery session is daunting, try this one-on-one lesson in Indian cookery in Surrey. You'll learn about how to carefully balance the spices to create four delicious dishes. You'll get to taste as you go along and take the fruits of your labour home in takeaway containers.

From £85 per person from Experience Days (at time of writing)Learn more°


Intensive Cookery Masterclass with Jean-Christophe Novelli and Luxury Hotel Stay

Award-winning chef Jean-Christophe Novelli plays host at this once-in-a-lifetime event in Tea Green, Hertfordshire. Enjoy a Champagne reception and an overnight stay at a 5* hotel, and enjoy an intensive cookery course to boot too. The Novelli Academy will teach you everything you need to know from this world-renowned chef, and afterwards there's even a photo and autograph session.

From £995 per person from Buyagift (at time of writing)Learn more°

(Photo credits to Pexels; Free-Photos)

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