Edinburgh New Town Cookery School

Surrounded by the Unesco-endorsed beauty of Edinburgh’s neoclassical architecture, and looking out over of the Firth of Forth, Fiona Burrell’s Edinburgh New Town Cookery School serves up a kitchen education with a view to both ambitious amateurs and aspiring pros. With over 30 years’ hands-on experience, Burrell heads up a team of three permanent teaching chefs who offer one-, three- and six-month courses to diploma standard. These are great for anyone with serious food-world ambitions, from gap-year students who want to cater in ski chalets and on yachts through to career-changers keen to work in restaurants. For amateurs, there is a range of workshops to choose from, covering subjects such as Thai, vegetarian and patisserie, through to knife skills,  baking, and beer and food matching. Children’s one-day courses are regularly available, as well as morning or afternoon junior baking sessions, and the Wine School holds frequent evening tastings. Spread over five floors, the facilities are excellent and spacious, with room for up to 16 students on Saturday courses and 20 weekly full-time students. The school’s demonstration theatre seats 50 and often hosts events for visiting celebrity chefs.

Curries from around the world: £155

Festive fizz: £40

Fish and shellfish workshop: £165

One-week beginners’ course: £620

Practical cookery diploma (6 months): £12,800