As the weather gets colder many of us will be looking for ways to break up the monotony of the long winter nights. One solution is cookery schools, an excellent way to learn new some skills regardless of whether you are a beginner or already a pro. Classes range from general to those that specialise in particular cuisines, and, if you are looking ahead to Christmas, they can be a great option for presents.
The Cook School Scotland, Kilmarnock
Moorfield Park, Kilmarnock
01563 550008
£50 for a half day, £100 for a full day
www.cookschool.org
One of the largest cookery schools in the country, this Ayrshire based business offers full and half day courses on a huge range of cuisines and skills. Christmas Dinner, Chinese, Indian, Spanish, Mexican, Meat Free and Home Baking are just some of the classes on offer, with different dates available to suit your timetable. There are also one to one classes, as well as kids lessons for any mini Gordon Ramsays. And, if you fancy splashing the cash, the Cook School will every so often run special full day masterclasses with celebrity chefs- although there’s no promise that you will be as good as them by the end of it.
Tennent’s Training Academy
161 Duke St, Glasgow
0845 166 6060
Prices vary depending on class
www.tennentstrainingacademy.co.uk
When you hear ‘Tennent’s’ it is probably more likely to conjure up images of a golden lager than of a haute cuisine cookery school. But that is exactly what is on offer at the firm’s Wellpark Brewery, where there are courses including a Thai Cookery Masterclass, Steak Night, and even Bread Making. But if you fancy cooking in a more laidback environment, then you might enjoy their Cook, Curry & Comedy event held every Friday night. For £48 per person you can enjoy some Indian starters with a pint before you tackle making your very own curry- which you can enjoy with even more beer. After the effort of all the cooking you will then be chauffeured to the Rotunda comedy club in Glasgow to enjoy a full comedy show- and if you fancy it, more beer.
Oakwood Cookery School
Oakwood Cookery School, The Oakwood, Forres Road, Elgin
01343 541285
Prices vary depending on class
www.oakwoodcookeryschool.co.uk
Fed up slaving away in the kitchen cooking dinner for the kids? Oakwood Cookery School could be the place for you, offering a range of children’s cookery classes that run from primary one right up to classes for teens. If you want to join in the fun there is also a parent and child class, costing a very reasonable £25 for both and teaching you to make both a main as well as a dessert. There are plenty of other classes on offer too, but they vary from month to month so it is best to check their website for up to date details.
The Larder Cook School
Unit 6 B2 Brewster Square, Brucefield Industrial Estate, Livingston, West Lothian
01506 412819
Prices vary depending on class
www.thelardercookschool.org.uk
A cookery school with a difference, the Larder is a registered charity that aims to support young people into the hospitality sector, as well as getting as many people cooking in West Lothian as possible. To assist them in their latter aim they offer a huge range of classes and events, including the Beginners Four Week Cookery Course. For £150 pupils will master cooking soups, stews, bread, vegetables -even a roast dinner with all the trimmings- as well as learning how to bake cakes, biscuits and desserts. And the best bit? 10% of all the Larder’s profits going into helping disadvantaged young people into work.
Ashoka Cook School
23 Crow Rd, Glasgow
0141 342 5200
Prices vary depending on class
www.ashokacookschool.com
Indian food often seems to taste amazing in a restaurant but never quite as good when attempted at home. If you want to address that discrepancy, you will find no better place than the Ashoka Cook School, where there are individual curry masterclasses on offer to help you perfect your favourite dish. Options include Lamb Bhoona, Chicken Tikka Chasni, Beef Madras, Chicken Korma and plenty more. If you go for the masterclass option you will also to learn how to make pakora, poppadoms and authentic fried rice alongside your curry, so you should be able to provide a full Indian restaurant experience by the time you are finished.
Home Cook School
Home Cook School, 2 Barns Terrace, Maybole, South Ayrshire
07968 478 668
For private lessons: £80 for 2 hours, £110 for 3 hours and £210 for 6 hours.
www.homecookschool.com
For some, the idea of cooking in front of others in a classroom environment might be a bit daunting. Enter the Home Cook School, with private lessons in your own kitchen for you (and if you choose) up to four guests. There are two, three and six-hour options available, where you would make three, four or six dishes respectively and then sit back and enjoy them in the comfort of your own home. They also offer a non-private option in their Maybole base, offering the same lessons at a lower price- if you can bear to share your space with other pupils.
Cocoa Black Chocolate and Pastry School
1-3 Cuddybridge, Peebles, Scottish Borders
01721 723 764
The half-day classes are £50 for two hours and £75 for three hours
www.cocoablack.com/chocolate-pastry-school
If you have been inspired by the skills on show in the Great British Bake Off, then this is the cookery class for you. There are half-day classes that cover pretty much every chocolate or pastry you can think of: Macarons, Cheesecake, Tarts & Custard, Chocolate Truffles and Gluten Free French Patisserie to name just a few. You can also take masterclasses with award-winning pastry chef Ruth Hinks, which run over two days and teach intricate, Bake-Off level skills.
Let’s Cook Scotland
The Steading, Netherfield, Abernethy, Perthshire
01738 851156
Prices vary depending on class
www.letscookscotland.co.uk
As well as classes to help pupils master particular cuisines (Taste of Thailand, Curries of the World), Let’s Cook Scotland also offer skill-led lessons to help you master bread making, knife skills or the basics of baking. Another excellent class is their full day ‘Cooking for Christmas’ course, which is a great way to boost your confidence and calm your nerves if you have agreed to (or been forced into) making one of the most stressful meals of the year. You will be taught how to perfect canapes, gravy, crispy potatoes, roasted meat and even home-made mince pies, along with advice on planning your time and ordering quantities.
Nick Nairn Cook School
Port of Menteith, Stirling and 15 Back Wynd, Aberdeen
01877 389900
Prices vary depending on class
www.nicknairncookschool.com
The Rolls Royce of cookery schools, Nick Nairn’s Cook School offers budding chefs plenty of glamour, with exotic ingredients and haute cuisine recipes that are sure to impress even the most hard-to-please dinner guests. Classes vary from month to month, but they frequently host masterclasses taught by celebrity chefs- including Nick himself. The school began in the picturesque Port of Menteith, but an urban version has recently been opened in the heart of Aberdeen to give more people the chance to come along and add some star power to their cooking.
Colston Cookery School
Colston House, Haddington, East Lothian
01620 822 922
£119 for full day classes (6 hours and 30 minutes)
www.colstoun.co.uk/the-cookery-school
Placing a real focus on local produce, almost all of the ingredients used at the Coulston Cookery School come from East Lothian- even in their Indian, Thai and Scandinavian classes. They also offer a seasonal Foraging course, where pupils are taken to the grounds of the Coulston estate and shown the nutritional potential of the plants, seeds and nuts that grow there before heading back to make a lunch based around their wild ingredients. Other courses on offer include Seasonal Game, Pastries & Puddings, and Bee Keeping, where participants will learn all about the theory of beekeeping before having a go themselves with a practical learning display. And, to re-emphasise their commitment to the local area, the school works hard to minimise its environmental impact by using renewable heat and composting all their food waste.
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