jelane

A colleague has asked if I know of any cooking schools for she is going to France next year. The only one I know of is Patricia Wells. Do you have suggestions? Thank you.

Sallygirl42

I don't know if she is more interested in a school or a class, but two of them that I know about are:

Wilde Kitchen: http://www.wildekitchen.net/

and

Cook'n With Class:
http://www.cooknwithclass.com/

I went to the Wilde kitchen and loved it. And planning on going to Cook'n in the future.

jelane

thank you so much....my dream is to one day do the school of Patricia Wells, I have most of her books....but the schools are so expensive...I have read a book on Rue Tatin, I believe is the name Susan Herrmann Loomis...she is involved with Patricia Wells but more reasonable.....They are all expensive but such a treat. Four of us did a one day class in Tuscany a couple of years ago, it was simple but fun and affordable. Thank you again, this will give her at least a start into planning.

Carlux

Have a look at Paule Caillat, who also offers English Language cooking classes

http://www.promenadesgourmandes.com/

I've never done any, but do receive her newsletters, which make it sound great!

BevK

A few years ago my family and I did a cooking class near Grasse in the south of France. It was held in Julia Child's summer home and lasted a week. There were 7 of us (3 generations) and half of us stayed in Julia's house and the other half in Simone Beck's house. We had our lessons in Julia's kitchen and went to the market in Cannes, a cheese cave, and Michelin restaurants in Mougins and Cannes. The classes are taught by Kathy Alex who took lessons from Julia and Simone and now owns Julia's house. Kathy is American and teaches in English, but we also did a class with a chef in Mougins and visited the kitchen at the Palm D'Or in Cannes. We loved every minute of that week. Usually we had classes in the morning and after lunch, the afternoons and evenings were free to explore. My two sons, who were in their 20's at the time, became the chief cooks in their houses after that. You can find more information at www.cookingwithfriends.com. I highly recommend it.
From their webpage:
Cooking With Friends in France is a six day cooking school vacation located in the former home of Julia Child in Provence. It was at La Pitchoune where Julia and Simone "Simca" Beck wrote their Mastering the Art of French Cooking series. Kathie Alex, a former student of Simca's and the present owner of the house, started Cooking With Friends in France seven years ago to keep the culinary tradition of Julia and Simca alive at La Pitchoune and to share the cuisine and culture of Provence with her students.

jelane

Bev that sounds like a culinary women's dream.....and to be in Julie's kitchen. We are going back to Provence this summer, it is too late to do something like this but perhaps next year. I think it would be fun to do the truffle hunt also. Thank you for sharing your story.

travelbunny

I went to cooking with class which was informal and fun..also with marguerite..more academic but also great. I have been to ateliers des chefs..inexpensive and in french which makes it even more fun ..also la belle ecole.. Chateau Quarante in Languedoc has a several day course and you stay at the cooks lovely home..I havent taken that course but did stay there and had dinner there. The food was excellent.

StCirq

There are hundreds and hundreds of cooking schools and people offering cooking lessons in France. Google and see.

I personally wouldn't do Patricia Wells because she is frightfully expensive (I've done culinary tours in France and can figure out how much profit she makes on these things and WHOA! She's making a killing!) and by many accounts treats her help badly. And I wouldn't touch Susan Loomis with a 10-foot pole. Did you read her book "On Rue Tatin." ? She comes across in that book as such a depressive sourpuss...and apparently she has had real problems with depression.

I'd follow through on Carlux's suggestion. I've heard great things about that.

bozama

Er, what about the obvious, Cordon Bleu,, they offer day, week and month long courses. Many different specialties.

kestrelcycler

jelane...I used to go to the Abbaye de Ste Croix in Salon de Provence quite often and Caterine, the lady who managed this fabulous hotel also had a cooking school. You might contact the Abbaye to see if it still is going. The Abbaye is a Relais Chateaux.

farrermog

This article about a cooking school in Beaune, The Cook's Atelier, was published in last weekend's Canberra Times -

http://www.debsravingrecipes.blogspot.com/

(The author also owns a well regarded pizza restaurant on the NSW south coast)

farrermog

Sorry, that was the home page. This is the Beaune cooking school article -

http://debsravingrecipes.blogspot.co...s-atelier.html