5 Best Culinary Schools in London (2026)

The Avenue Cookery School runs evening and weekend classes out of a purpose-built Wandsworth kitchen, covering everything from knife skills to specific cuisines like Ethiopian and Vietnamese cooking. Classes typically run a few hours, mixing hands-on prep with pre-measured ingredients so beginners aren't slowed down by every chopping step. The school also runs residential courses, including week-long Duke of Edinburgh programs that combine cooking lessons with team activities. It's built its reputation on social, wine-included evenings as much as pure technique.

Food at 52 is a Central London cookery school running public and private classes across a wide range of cuisines, from Classic Italian to Thai, Moroccan, and Indian Street Feast. Its central St John's Street location and relaxed, sociable format make it a popular choice for both solo bookings and larger groups, including corporate team building. The school pairs each class with wine and a shared meal at the end, positioning cooking as a social evening rather than a strict lesson. It also handles private hire for exclusive events.

Enrica Rocca is a family-run Italian cooking school in Notting Hill, founded by the Rocca family in what was once their own home, with a sister school run by the family in Venice. Sisters Charlotte and Claire lead the London classes, teaching Italian home cooking including fresh pasta, tiramisu, and market-to-table sessions built around a walk through Portobello Market. Classes range from a few hours to a full day and are aimed at both couples and groups celebrating an occasion. The school leans specifically into Italian technique rather than a broad multi-cuisine curriculum.

Underground Cookery School runs group-focused cooking classes designed around corporate team building, birthday parties, and hen parties rather than solo skill-building. Its City Road venue is built to handle larger groups, mixing hands-on cooking with a dining area styled to feel like a proper restaurant. Reviewers repeatedly describe returning for a second or third company event, suggesting the format holds up for repeat corporate bookings specifically. The school also offers standalone kitchen hire for private use.

Sauce by The Langham is the cookery school run out of The Langham hotel on Portland Place, offering classes taught by the hotel's own professional chefs alongside guest masterclasses, including one led by Michel Roux. Courses range from Building Block classes for fundamentals to full-day Trade Secrets masterclasses and themed sessions like a scone and Champagne afternoon tea. The setting is a dedicated, well-equipped kitchen inside a five-star hotel rather than a standalone cookery studio. It caters specifically to dietary requirements, with reviewers noting requests handled without disruption to the class.