Basic ingredients: The Culbone Cookery School celebrates the best seasonal produce from Exmoor both in its home-style teaching kitchen and in its award-winning restaurant. Beautifully sited with views over the Oare Valley, the Culbone’s foodie experiences are overseen by Somerset-born chef Jack Scarterfield and at the end of a day’s cooking and eating there are comfy rooms to stay the night. Jack creates bespoke classes and private chef’s tables for intimate groups of 4 to 6 people, which include a three-course meal with a choice of seasonal produce from one of the Culbone’s local food heroes. Guests decide what they would like as the star of the show – it could be Exmoor lamb, Devon Red beef or wonderful South-West seafood – then Jack guides them through the cooking skills to be able to recreate the dishes back home. Beyond the kitchen, the Exmoor Food Safari includes a tour of the prized Big Red Cow farm or a trip to a local fishery where students can catch and cook their own trout, followed by a private masterclass.
They say: We want you to have a great time, learn new skills and share our passion for Exmoor’s finest food in an informal and fun environment.
We say: There are only a handful of cookery schools in Somerset and The Culbone offers some exciting food experiences with small class sizes that guarantee a quality time. It’s worth spending a day or two on Exmoor and an overnight stay means you can wake up to a wonderful Somerset breakfast with spectacular views across the valley.
01643 862259; www.theculbone.com