FAQs
What’s included in the cost?
- Expert guidance from our chef teacher and assistants
- All ingredients and equipment
- Apron to wear in class.
- Class recipes
- Refreshments and snacks
- Takeaway containers
What should I wear?
We recommend wearing comfortable clothes. Although aprons are provided, you will be working in a kitchen environment where spills and splashes are inevitable. Closed toe shoes are vital to protect you from hot liquids, oils and knives. Long hair must be tied back when cooking.
Do I need to eat before I come?
Although snacks and refreshments are provided throughout the class, we do recommend that you eat a light meal before you come.
What time do I arrive?
We ask you to arrive 10 minutes before class and to allow time for parking. This gives you an opportunity to meet the other cooks on your class and to get a drink and settle in before the class starts.
What if I have an allergy?
We ask you to let us know at the point of booking of any allergies or special dietary requirements you have. We can accommodate most needs by omitting or substituting ingredients, but most allergens are airborne. Unfortunately, if you inform us on the night of the class, we can’t guarantee allergens are not airborne within school from a previous class. If you have an epi pen you must provide it on the day of the class – all our staff are first aid trained.
Do you provide alcohol?
We are not a licensed premises, so we are not able to sell alcoholic drinks. All customers are welcome to bring their own drinks, and we have a quality wine merchant next door (‘The Jolly Vintner Too’).
How many people will be there?
Most of our classes have a maximum occupancy of 8 people and a minimum of 4. Our Kids and Teens classes have a maximum of 12.
Do I need to be a confident cook?
You don’t need to have any previous experience. Our friendly and helpful chefs will guide you through the process for each dish. They will clearly model safe techniques and cooking methods and are available to support you throughout the class. Some classes can be more technical than others, so call to discuss your queries.
As a confident cook would I find the class challenging?
We have plenty of advanced courses designed to stretch and challenge more experienced cooks. If you’re not sure which class is right for you, give us a call and we can discuss our courses in more detail.
How long do the classes last?
Most of classes are 2.5 hours long. For our evening classes, we aim to finish at 9pm. However, cookery is not an exact science and the classes occasionally run over.
How do I get there?
As part of our commitment to sustainability, we encourage you to travel by public transport, bike or foot. There is a bus stop outside the school and cycle parking in front and behind the building. If you do come by car, please try and share the journey.
Parking on the High Street:
Monday to Saturday: 8am-6pm for maximum of 2 hours (no return within 4 hours).
Residential side roads adjacent to the school are unlimited parking.
What do I take home?
At the end of each class, you are invited to take home all of what cook. This is usually 2 -3 dishes, with each dish being a couple of portions of food. We do provide takeaway containers to take your creations home in, although feel free to bring your own containers to help us in our quest to become more sustainable. You can bring a cool bag if you are travelling any great distance. You also will be e-mailed all the recipes you have cooked with us after the class. Allergen content is clearly listed on recipes.
How long does my food last?
Kept refrigerated the food will keep for 3 days. If it is frozen the same day, it will be good for up to 1 month after the class.
What do I do if I need to amend my booking?
If you need to amend your booking, please give us a call as early as possible. We ask for2 weeks notice.
What if I need to cancel?
You can cancel your booking by ringing us during our office hours. If the office is closed, then please e-mail your request and we will call you at the earliest opportunity. We do need 48 hours’ notice to cancel, and we have a standard £20 cancellation fee to cover staffing costs and food wastages. The remaining amount will be credited to your account. For more detail, see our Terms and Conditions.
What’s the best way to contact you?
The best way to get in touch with us is via e-mail [email protected]. Our e-mails are monitored even when the office is closed and we will endeavour to respond within 24 hours.
During our office hours you can phone us on 01202 424445 and one of our friendly team will be on hand to help. Our voicemail messages are checked once a day out of office hours and we will endeavour to respond within 24 hours.