The Chef’s Room Fish and Cookery School

Basic ingredients: Set in a modern kitchen in the World Heritage listed town of Blaenavon, the Chef’s Room adjoins long-standing fishmongers and food shop, Vin Sullivan’s. The school is run by cook and food writer Lindy Wildsmith and Franco Taruschio, the Italian Chef who won a Michelin Star for Abergavenny’s Walnut Tree restaurant. Both Lindy and Franco alternate tuition of most courses, which last half a day, cost £75 and range from easy entertaining to the ever popular Italian/Welsh fusion. Guest chefs (including an annual appearance from Shaun Hill) drop in to host courses throughout the year and each course includes lunch and a free glass of wine and a chance to browse the ‘Aladdin’s Cave’ of produce that is Vin Sullivan’s shop.

They say: We may be called the Chef’s Room but we do not want to teach you to be a chef; we want you to be cooks who enjoy what you do and pass on your enthusiasm to everyone around you.

We say: The school is particularly strong on seasonal courses and seafood. Divertimenti’s own Claudine Boulstridge has recently joined the team, adding French, Thai and Lebanese cooking to the school’s expanding repertoire.