10 Top UK Cookery Schools

This is a guest post from Smallbone of Devizes, who specialise in providing luxury handmade kitchens to homeowners and restaurateurs across the UK and US.

Passionate about good food and travel?

Combine mouth watering cuisine, boutique accommodation and the company of a bunch of foodies all looking to learn from their culinary heroes and you have perhaps the perfect UK break on your hands!

If you’re of a gastronomic persuasion then get your knives sharpened and your apron strings pulled tight – let us wet your appetite for learning with this varied selection of great UK cookery class providers…

Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Oxfordshire

Raymond Blanc’s Great Milton, Oxford restaurant hotel boasts a state of the art set up; all Gaggenau ovens and Smallbone Of Devizes bespoke hand made kitchens. And it doesn’t matter if your skills aren’t as up to the standard of the kitchen finery: there are loads of courses to choose from, from chocolate to fish, over one, two or four days. www.manoir.com

Brook Hall Cookery School, Winslow, Bucks

Stephen Bulmer spent six years at Raymond Blanc’s cookery school, and his venture offers one-day, evening and overnight Gourmet Breaks. Warm your hands by the Aga and get to grips with everything from beginner to exotic courses with Italian and Oriental themes. www.brookhall.net

Jean-Christophe Novelli Cookery School, Tea Green, Herts

The 14th Century Academy is the setting for this highly rated cookery mecca, with a great line-up of chefs and a varied selection of courses. Learn anything from tapas to the tastes of Tuscany, with one and two-day courses on offer. www.jeanchristophenovelli.com

Nick Nairn Cook School, Port of Menteith, Scotland

Garnering excellent reviews since 2000, celebrity chef and restaurateur Nick Nairn will personally teach you to cook on a one-day course for less than £300. Italian and Scottish cookery provide the majority of the curriculum. www.nicknairncookschool.com

Square Food Foundation, Bristol

The award-winning Square Food Foundation emphasises the use of organic and local produce. There’s a huge range of courses on offer, from workshops to founder Barny Haughton’s Meat Master class. www.squarefoodfoundation.co.uk

Tante Marie, Woking

They’ve been training chefs internationally for half a century, but Tante Marie also offer ‘lifestyle’ courses as well as more businesslike professional tuition. There are short modular courses, and up to 11-week Cordon Bleu Certificate options on offer. www.tantemarie.co.uk

The Bertinet Kitchen Cookery School, Bath

2010’s BBC Food Champion Of The Year, Richard Bertinet, is a French chef and baker whose Bath school emphasises fun, family and kids’ classes, as well as more serious courses on subjects ranging from patisserie to Stylish Indian Entertaining. www.thebertinetkitchen.com

Ashburton Cookery School, Ashburton, Devon

More West Country flavour here, with over 40 cookery courses to choose from over varying periods. Pro and passionate amateurs are catered for, with one-day classes and Diplomas just two options for cheffery. Courses take in bread-making, gluten-free cookery and lessons focusing on the West Country’s produce. www.ashburtoncookeryschool.co.uk

Leiths School Of Food And Wine, London

A serious academy, Leith also caters for enthusiasts with evening, day or week classes. There are even courses as diversified as food writing, food styling, and of course matching food with wine. The school moved in 2008 to its new premises, too, so the modern kitchen designs are pro-level, state-of-the-art facilities. www.leiths.com

Padstow Seafood School, Padstow

Rick Stein’s school is dedicated to fish, as you’d expect, and unless you’re distracted by the harbour views from the kitchen, you’ll learn all kinds of tips and techniques over one or two-day courses. Look out, too, for evening demonstrations. www.rickstein.com/seafood-school.html

The Blighty Traveller: I’m now feeling rather hungry? What about you?