Top 10 Best Cooking classes, courses, learnings kits and gifts in the UK

Tere is a lifelong foodie from London and lives with her artist partner Colin on a unique cute houseboat next to the Metropolis of Canary Wharf. In this fun and unusual class you will find out how Tere sources her ingredients to make a delicious plant based fish and chips yet retaining the authentic flavours of the typical British dish! On arrival you will see all the ingredients that Tere has prepared and she will go through them all in detail and explain why she has used them. You will see the process from start to finish and get to taste and smell all the wonderful ingredients before getting to eat them on board!

Nurture a passion for growing your own with River Cottage’s Head Gardener Adam Crofts. At River Cottage they believe growing your own veg has the power to change your life. In these times of intensive farming, reliance on harmful pesticides and the detrimental effect it has on our environment, we now more than ever need to be more reliant on locally grown and sustainable food systems. From propagation and tools, to considering what varieties to grow and how to nurture them, this is the perfect course for both the curious and committed. You will be taught a comprehensive range of skills and techniques focusing on organic vegetable growing. Once you’ve got to grips with growing your veggies, Gelf Alderson (Head Chef at River Cottage) will show you how you can get them from plot to plate. Using your home-grown produce, you will learn a range of skills and techniques so that you can fully embrace all kinds of veg in your cooking.

Get an exclusive insight behind the scenes of Kanishka, the Mayfair restaurant run by two Michelin starred chef Atul Kochhar which focuses on the unexplored cuisine from the so called 'Sister States' of India. Join Atul in his online classroom and learn how to prepare some of the most iconic cuisines of India. He will take you on a rich and varied tour of the South, East, North and West - showing you how to prepare his favourite regional specialities from Kerala, West Bengal, Kashmir and Goa. Atul is keen to highlight the regional differences in his home country’s food. ‘Indian cuisine doesn’t exist to be honest – we have very specific regional cuisines instead,’ he explains. ‘Sometimes the tastes are like chalk and cheese; it would be like comparing Finnish cuisine with the food of southern Italy. Calling food Indian is just as vague as describing a dish as European.’ People often shy away from Indian food, worrying that it’s too complicated and requires too many ingredients. Atul is here to debunk this myth – “If you cook along with me and follow my basic steps, by the end of the course you will be cooking these dishes exactly like me.” Atul will personally oversee your cooking methods, and will give you feedback on your dishes as you progress through the lessons. By the end of the course you will have prepared four spectacular dishes, and will have a newfound understanding of the history and culture of each region, and how this feeds into the ideas, ingredients and flavours behind the dishes you have created.

We all know we should eat more vegetables and plant-based foods, for our health and for the health of the planet. So how do you make sure they are always delicious? This course aims to teach you how you can transform local, seasonal plant-based produce into vegetable dishes that will be every bit as delicious as they are good for you. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall will teach you a range of skills and techniques to help you fully embrace all kinds of vegetables in your cooking. Learn how to get the best out of your veg, discover new ways to turn vegetables into complete meals and take home a glut of expert knowledge to feed your family and impress your friends. There are compelling reasons why a plant-based diet isn’t just an ideal worth aiming for – it’s starting to look absolutely essential. More veg means less room for processed foods and refined carbs, for instance – things which are now widely recognized as leading causes of obesity and ill-health. More veg also means less meat – or even no meat, if you prefer. And the consequences of that, for the entire planet, could be colossal. This course is designed to make vegetables and other fantastically healthy plant foods unfailingly delicious and satisfying. You will explore the wonderful, vibrant world of veg to the absolute max. You’ll learn how to perfectly char and sear chunky summer veg on the barbecue; how to slice, dice, grate and dress raw vegetables to make them irresistible; how to combine different veg and fruits into hearty soups and hot pots; and finally how to roast veg for maximum flavour intensity and crispy, chewy golden deliciousness. This course will feature recipes inspired by Hugh’s TV series and his best-selling cookbooks ‘River Cottage Veg Every Day!’ and ‘Much More Veg’.

The course led by acclaimed chef Kirk Haworth immerses you in the partnership of food, art and travel, fuelled by the freedom of change. Kirk’s aim is to redefine veganism by showing vegetables in their truest form, while using them in innovative ways to maximise their flavour. Most of us make dishes where the star of the show is meat or fish, and the vegetables provide the accompaniment. Kirk has mastered the art and techniques of making vegetables the true stars of the show. You will finish this course inspired by the endless possibilities of plant-based cooking, equipped with the foundational cooking techniques you will need to create delicious dishes at a professional standard. Kirk will take you through, step by step, some of his most popular dishes, and will advise you on your technique and presentation. You will be guided through which ingredients you should be using in your local environment, and Kirk will help you to create dishes good enough to serve in his own restaurant! By the end of the course, you will have a full understanding of the environmental and nutritional benefits of a plant based-diet, and will discover the vast number of positive effects this will have on your overall wellbeing.

Chef Patron Michel Roux Jr invites you for the first time to join him, for an intimate learning experience, from Le Gavroche kitchen where many of the world's top chefs have been trained. The UK's culinary legend gives you a behind closed doors insight into his world and training techniques, teaching you his chef’s secrets, and his culinary philosophy. Throughout the courses you'll find they're peppered with the influence of his culinary hero, Georges Auguste Escoffier. You'll learn how to prepare delicious classic French home cooked cuisine, alongside your classmates, and have the option to receive feedback on your dishes from team Roux inside Le Gavroche! Throughout this trio of courses, you will learn the secrets of ‘how’ as well as the ‘what’ to cook to master classic French cuisine. This relaxed and creative collection is for enthusiasts through to professionals wanting to learn from a master chef, and for anyone who wants to learn how to curate a Michelin star dish at home.

The course led by acclaimed chef Kirk Haworth immerses you in the partnership of food, art and travel, fuelled by the freedom of change. Kirk’s aim is to redefine veganism by showing vegetables in their truest form, while using them in innovative ways to maximise their flavour. Most of us make dishes where the star of the show is meat or fish, and the vegetables provide the accompaniment. Kirk has mastered the art and techniques of making vegetables the true stars of the show. You will finish this course inspired by the endless possibilities of plant-based cooking, equipped with the foundational cooking techniques you will need to create delicious dishes at a professional standard. Kirk will take you through, step by step, some of his most popular dishes, and will advise you on your technique and presentation. You will be guided through which ingredients you should be using in your local environment, and Kirk will help you to create dishes good enough to serve in his own restaurant! By the end of the course, you will have a full understanding of the environmental and nutritional benefits of a plant based-diet, and will discover the vast number of positive effects this will have on your overall wellbeing. After working in some of the world’s finest restaurants, including The French Laundry, Restaurant Sat Bains, and The Square and Quay in Sydney, Kirk opened Plates with his sister, Keeley. The concept was born following Executive Chef Kirk’s diagnosis with Lyme disease in 2014 which dramatically changed the way he now works, cooks, eats and creates.

Get an exclusive insight behind the scenes of Kanishka, the Mayfair restaurant run by two Michelin starred chef Atul Kochhar which focuses on the unexplored cuisine from the so called 'Sister States' of India. Join Atul in his online classroom and learn how to prepare some of the most iconic cuisines of India. He will take you on a rich and varied tour of the South, East, North and West - showing you how to prepare his favourite regional specialities from Kerala, West Bengal, Kashmir and Goa. Atul is keen to highlight the regional differences in his home country’s food. ‘Indian cuisine doesn’t exist to be honest – we have very specific regional cuisines instead,’ he explains. ‘Sometimes the tastes are like chalk and cheese; it would be like comparing Finnish cuisine with the food of southern Italy. Calling food Indian is just as vague as describing a dish as European.’ People often shy away from Indian food, worrying that it’s too complicated and requires too many ingredients. Atul is here to debunk this myth – “If you cook along with me and follow my basic steps, by the end of the course you will be cooking these dishes exactly like me.” Atul will personally oversee your cooking methods, and will give you feedback on your dishes as you progress through the lessons. By the end of the course you will have prepared four spectacular dishes, and will have a newfound understanding of the history and culture of each region, and how this feeds into the ideas, ingredients and flavours behind the dishes you have created. One of the pioneers of Indian fine dining, two Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochhar was responsible for changing our perceptions of the cuisine and helping British diners realise how refined Indian food can be. Combining the flavours of north, east and south India with the finest produce, it’s his contemporary style and love for traditional cooking which have brought him his success. Today, he continues to showcase the incredible flavours of his home country in the UK. In 1994, Atul migrated to the UK and opened Tamarind, which was soon known as one of the best Indian restaurants in the world. In 2001 it won a Michelin star – making Atul the first Michelin-starred Indian chef in the world. This spurred him on to leave Tamarind and open his own restaurant, Benares, which was awarded its own Michelin star in 2006. Since then he has opened numerous successful, award-winning restaurants; Sindhu and Hawkyns in Buckinghamshire and Indian Essence in Kent. In 2018, Atul left Benares to pursue other independent ventures, most recently Kanishka in Mayfair, London.

We all know we should eat more vegetables and plant-based foods, for our health and for the health of the planet. So how do you make sure they are always delicious? This course will teach you how you can transform local, seasonal plant-based produce into vegetable dishes that will be every bit as delicious as they are good for you. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall will teach you a range of skills and techniques to help you fully embrace all kinds of vegetables in your cooking. Learn how to get the best out of your veg, discover new ways to turn vegetables into complete meals and take home a glut of expert knowledge to feed your family and impress your friends. There are compelling reasons why a plant-based diet isn’t just an ideal worth aiming for – it’s starting to look absolutely essential. More veg means less room for processed foods and refined carbs, for instance – things which are now widely recognized as leading causes of obesity and ill-health. More veg also means less meat – or even no meat, if you prefer. And the consequences of that, for the entire planet, could be colossal. This course is designed to make vegetables and other fantastically healthy plant foods unfailingly delicious and satisfying. You will explore the wonderful, vibrant world of veg to the absolute max. You’ll learn how to perfectly char and sear chunky summer veg on the barbecue; how to slice, dice, grate and dress raw vegetables to make them irresistible; how to combine different veg and fruits into hearty soups and hot pots; and finally how to roast veg for maximum flavour intensity and crispy, chewy golden deliciousness. This course will feature recipes inspired by Hugh’s TV series and his best-selling cookbooks ‘River Cottage Veg Every Day!’ and ‘Much More Veg’. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is a multi-award-winning writer and broadcaster known for his uncompromising commitment to seasonal, ethically produced food and his concern for the environment. He has earned a huge following through his River Cottage TV series and books, as well as campaigning documentary series such as Hugh’s Fish Fight, Hugh’s War on Waste, Britain’s Fat Fight and, his latest, War on Plastic with Hugh and Anita. Hugh’s broadcasting has earned him a BAFTA as well as awards from Radio 4, The Observer and the Guild of Food Writers. His award-winning books include The River Cottage Cookbook (2001), which won the Glenfiddich Trophy, the River Cottage Meat Book, which won the Andre Simon Award in the UK as well as the James Beard Award in the USH, and River Cottage Much More Veg. His latest book Eat Better Forever is published in December 2020.

Foraging expert John Wright, author of three River Cottage Handbooks about foraging, will take you on three, real, forays: along the hedgerow, beside the seashore, and to the fields and woods hunting for mushrooms. These are, indeed, real forays, with all the hopes, disappointments, limitations of season and joys that we must expect when venturing into the wild for our dinner. They all take place in an autumnal Dorset, but the lessons learned here can be applied to other places and other times. In John’s trusted and experienced hands, you will learn the basics of identification and understand how to forage successfully, responsibly and safely. John Wright has foraged for food all his life. From cockle-hunting and blackberry picking in the 1960’s, via wild mushrooms and seaweeds many years, to collecting flying ants with a butterfly net today, he has seen and eaten most wild foods. He has written four books on foraging, one on home-brewing and two on natural history. His most recent book, The Forager’s Calendar, won the Guild of Food Writers award for ‘Food Book of the Year 2020’. John has written numerous magazine articles, most of them on the countryside or countryside pursuits.

At River Cottage they believe growing your own veg has the power to change your life. In these times of intensive farming, reliance on harmful pesticides and the detrimental effect it has on our environment, we now more than ever need to be more reliant on locally grown and sustainable food systems. From propagation and tools, to considering what varieties to grow and how to nurture them, this is the perfect course for both the curious and committed. You will be taught a comprehensive range of skills and techniques focusing on organic vegetable growing. Once you’ve got to grips with growing your veggies, Gelf Alderson (Head Chef at River Cottage) will show you how you can get them from plot to plate. Using your home-grown produce, you will learn a range of skills and techniques so that you can fully embrace all kinds of veg in your cooking. Adam Crofts is an expert in organic gardening with a commitment to growing and eating the seasons. His fascination with gardening and the natural world started at an early age. Adam comes from a family of organic gardeners, and with gardening in his blood and a long held belief in the importance of organic produce, he has been growing veg for as long as he can remember.

Come and join our Italian Cooking Class with bottomless wine. You will learn how to cook up the best Italian food including the BEST Homemade Tagliatelle Carbonara. Greeted with a drink, you will sit down and watch a demonstration on what you will be cooking. You will then get to make the dishes yourselves before dining round our table with new and old friends. What We Offer Fun and upbeat classes Recipe booklet to take home Everything provided including bottomless beer & wine Skills Acquired Making delicious Italian dishes Time management Table setting and much more… Italian Cooking Class Menu Tomato Bruschetta The BEST Homemade Tagliatelle Carbonara Tiramisu

Come and join our Indian Street Food Cooking Class with bottomless booze. We will introduce you to some of the most well known Indian street-food dishes and how to create them at home! This class will take you through the importance of creating marinades as well as teaching you techniques to get the most out of your spices. Greeted with a drink, you will sit down and watch a demonstration on what you will be cooking. You will then get to make the dishes yourselves before dining round our table with new and old friends. Indian Street Food Cooking Class Menu Naan Bread and Imlee Spicy Lamb Kebabs *Mint Raita *Butter Chicken Jeera Rice What We Offer Fun demonstrations Hands-on cooking experience Booklet full of the delicious recipes to take home Bottomless booze throughout the evening All facilities, equipment, ingredients and alcohol included Skills Acquired Good understanding of some of India’s fabulous dishes Cooking with spices Ability to recreate Indian dishes at home Having fun while cooking!! The Avenue Terms & Conditions Bookings are non-refundable and transfer of classes must be made 2 weeks before the class date. The amount paid can be transferred before the 2 weeks to another class but is only valid as a credit of the exact amount and is valid for 1 year from the payment date. If you are unable to attend for whatever reason within the 2 week cancellation policy then you are free to transfer your ticket to a friend but we do not offer refunds. *A class/course that has been bought on sale cannot be transferred unless the remaining and full amount is paid. The Avenue require a minimum of 4 people per course and 6 for a class; in the event the places do not get filled we will, at your convenience, transfer you onto another course; if this option does not suit, you will receive a full refund. We will give you one weeks notice for our classes and 2 weeks for our courses.