Foodie Holidays To Book For 2023

Looking for an epic gastronomic adventure? From cookery workshops with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall to private vineyard tours and epic food-focused festivals, read on to find out our pick of the best foodie holidays to book this year. 

Four Day Cookery Course at River Cottage

Always fancied joining Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall for a bite to eat at the picturesque River Cottage? Book you and your foodie friends in for one of their cookery courses, from afternoon classes where you’ll learn everything to know about fermentation to learning how to build your own cob oven in your garden. 

For a real holiday experience though, try the Four Day Cookery Course that’ll see you trying out their award-winning cookery school for yourself, covering everything from meat and fish to veggies and bread. Led by their expert chef tutors, you’ll be able to get hands-on experience and guidance through their specialist subjects – expect to learn how to bake your own sourdough, understand the principles of butchery and dive into preparing fish and shellfish the right way. This course even includes a session all about veg with Hugh himself. 

River Cottage is also home to bed and breakfast stays meaning you can get settled right into farm life and enjoy views over the Axe Valley. The rooms are spacious and airy, with quaint countryside touches from wooden beams to open log fireplaces. 

River Cottage, Park Farm, Trinity Hill Road, Axminster, EX13 8TB 
www.rivercottage.net

Food & Wine Workshop with Delia Smith in Norwich

Venture out of London and over to Norwich for three foodie holiday nights filled with culinary delights courtesy of Delia Smith. The package includes a full day with Delia herself and chef Alex Mackay and wine expert Jason Banner. Expect an action-packed culinary adventure filled with wine tasting, a cooking demonstration, cocktail masterclass and special Q&A session with Delia and the team. The evening will finish with dinner at Yellow’s Restaurant with Delia. The restaurant is renowned for its fresh, homemade and local ingredients serving up traditional comfort food.

www.countrylivingholidays.com

Wine Tour at Rathfinny Estate

Cookery Classes at Chewton Glen

Renowned for its luxury treehouses, Chewton Glen is also a prime spot for foodies. Located in New Forest, the five-star hotel and spa offers some excellent culinary classes for those looking to up their skills and become a pro in the kitchen. 

Cookery Workshops at Thyme

For a true countryside experience, it’s got to be the Cotswolds’ Thyme. This cosy boutique hotel is home to just about everything you could need from a UK break, from their calming Meadow Spa to the onsite farm and kitchen garden. It’s a true foodie haven too, with its own cookery school on the site. Scroll through their upcoming classes to get a peek inside what you can expect from next year’s calendar. Expect to soon be whizzing up everything from seasonal favourites to perfecting fresh pasta. Spent a long weekend here exploring all of the hotel’s offerings and we guarantee you won’t want to leave.

Southrop, Lechlade, Cotswolds, GL7 3PW 
www.thyme.co.uk

Big Feastival

For a festival filled with a whole lot of food, look to The Big Feastival, the family-friendly weekender created by Blur bassist, Alex James. Located on his big ol’ farm in the Cotswolds, the festival sees big names headlining the mainstage every year, with 2022’s line-up including Anne-Marie, Sugababes, Stereophonics and The Human League. 

It’s also a hub for foodie activity with giant culinary names showing off their stuff through workshops, Q&As, feasts and stalls. 2022’s chef line-up included Clare Smyth BME, Ravneet Gill, Thomasina Miers, James Cochran and Ching He Huang MBE.

25 – 27 August 2023 
Alex James’ Farm near Kingham, Oxfordshire, OX7 6UJ
www.thebigfeastival.com

Raymond Blanc Cookery School at Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons

Looking as if it’s been plucked out of Oxfordshire’s Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons is the brainchild of celebrated chef Raymond Blanc OBE. The hotel itself looks fit for a fairytale, surrounded by lawns, flowers and orchards, as well as a vegetable and herb garden that both kitchen and cookery school use to create sublime dishes using organic produce. 

The acclaimed manor house is filled with cosy bedrooms, filled with warming comforters, tassel curtains and original wooden beams.

Onsite you’ll find the restaurant where Blanc’s vision comes to life. The restaurant earned two Michelin stars upon opening 38 years ago and still to this day retains them. The restaurant itself is filled with natural decoration, with warm wood and muted tones, serving up seven-course dinner options, as well as veggie and vegan menus. 

The hotel also boasts the Raymond Blanc Cookery School, offering courses for all experience levels, from half-day introductory courses to residential programmes. Learn from Blanc’s team of experts and you’ll soon be knocking out restaurant-worthy dinners in no time. 

CHURCH ROAD, GREAT MILTON, OXFORD, OX44 7PD
WWW.BELMOND.COM