Advanced Vegan Cookery May & June 2027

Our Advanced Vegan Cookery course is for people who love cooking and want to take their vegan cooking to another level. We’ll explore a whole range of ingredients, techniques and ideas, looking at what makes food delicious, how different ingredients behave and how we can use that knowledge to create something really special.

You don’t need professional training or years of experience. If you enjoy cooking from scratch, feel comfortable in the kitchen and are curious about trying new things, you’ll be absolutely fine. The word advanced refers to the techniques and ideas we explore, rather than the experience you need to join us.

Unlike our French cookery courses, which concentrate on a particular culinary tradition, this course draws inspiration from cuisines around the world. We’ll explore everything from fermentation and vegan cheesemaking to sauces, foams, gels and pâtisserie, experimenting with ingredients and techniques that open up all sorts of possibilities in vegan cooking.

One of the things I find most interesting about vegan cookery is understanding why things work. What makes an emulsion stable? How can we create the structure of a meringue without eggs? What gives a sauce its richness, or makes a dish really satisfying? Once you understand the principles behind a technique, you can start experimenting and adapting it for yourself, rather than simply following a recipe.

There’s plenty of creativity involved too. We’ll explore how to combine flavours and textures, experiment with unfamiliar ingredients and give dishes those little finishing touches that make them look as good as they taste. Some of what we make will be elaborate, but many of the techniques are surprisingly easy to incorporate into everyday cooking.

Professional chefs are very welcome, particularly those wanting to expand their vegan repertoire or create more interesting vegan menus. But most of our students are enthusiastic home cooks who simply want to become more confident, inventive and adventurous in the kitchen.

Group sizes are small — typically six students, with a maximum of eight — so there’s plenty of time for individual guidance, questions and hands-on support. You’ll work in my own kitchen, using methods and equipment that can be adapted for your own home.

What You’ll Learn

Rather than simply working through a collection of recipes, we’ll also explore the techniques and principles behind them. Understanding how ingredients behave, how flavours work together and how different textures are created gives you the freedom to experiment and develop your own dishes.

Some of the areas we’ll explore include:

• Flavour Development and Balance: Discover how acidity, sweetness, bitterness, salt and umami work together, and how to build depth, complexity and satisfaction into vegan dishes.
• Vegan Pâtisserie: Explore techniques for making meringues, mousses, cakes and other desserts without eggs or dairy, understanding the ingredients and processes that make them work.
• Sauces, Foams, Creams and Gels: Learn how to create different textures and consistencies, from rich emulsions to delicate foams, and how to use them in both sweet and savoury cooking.
• Fermentation and Pickling: Explore how these techniques can develop flavour, create interesting textures and add complexity to a dish.
• Vegan Cheesemaking: Experiment with ingredients and techniques for creating different styles of vegan cheese.
• Creative Presentation: Discover how colour, texture, shape and decorative elements can transform the appearance of a dish.

The exact dishes we make will vary, but the underlying techniques and principles are what matter most. You’ll leave with the knowledge and confidence to adapt what you’ve learnt, experiment with new ideas and make the techniques your own.

Included

• 4 days of small-group workshops in our air-conditioned kitchen
• Breakfast each day
• Lunch each day, which we’ll eat together
• Dinner each evening, using the food you’ve cooked during the day, which you’ll organise yourselves
• A simple welcome meal on Monday evening, including wine
• Station transfers to and from Caussade or Lexos stations on the course start and finish dates
• Workbook and recipes
• All ingredients
• An apron, which is yours to keep

Optional

• Accommodation: You can book this course with or without accommodation. If you want a room, you can book it as an extra. Accommodation is for five nights, from Monday evening until Saturday morning.
• Accompanying person sharing your room: Someone who is not taking part in the course is welcome to share your room. There is an additional charge to cover their food, which can be paid when you book.
• Airport transfers: We don’t provide airport transfers ourselves, but we can put you in touch with a reliable, English-speaking taxi service.

Not Included

• Alcohol, other than the wine served with the Monday welcome dinner

We have a range of excellent local accommodation providers, all within a very short walk, so everyone who wants a room can have one. All our rooms are single occupancy with en suite bathrooms unless you book with someone you want to share with.

You’re welcome to share your room with someone who isn’t doing the course. If they’d like meals, there’s a supplement of €250 to pay at the time of booking. There is no supplement for people taking the course. You’ll find more details on our accommodation page.

Questions? Let’s talk.

Please note that this course is normally non-refundable, so we strongly suggest you take out holiday insurance at the time of booking. However, we’re happy to transfer your booking to someone else at no charge. Full terms and conditions are here.