FAQs

Where is the School located?

The School of Artisan Food is located on the historic Welbeck Estate in the heart of rural North Nottinghamshire.

We are signposted from the A60, and only a few miles from both the M1 and A1. There’s also a variety of public transport links. See our contact us page

Is The School of Artisan Food just another cookery school?

The School of Artisan Food is more than a cookery school. We do of course teach you how to produce delicious and nutritious food such as bread, cheese, charcuterie, beer and much more. The Difference at The School of Artisan Food is we also think about food – how it is made, why we do things the way we do, and what are the alternatives.

What kind of facilities do you have?

The School is housed in a beautiful 1870 Grade II listed building in the heart of the Sherwood Forest. The building was thoughtfully renovated to accommodate spacious training kitchens, a dairy training room, a computer room and reading library and an 80-seat lecture theatre with demonstration and screening facilities. This is set in a serene landscape on the Welbeck Estate, the ancestral seat to the Dukes of Portland.

Our Courses

What courses do you offer?

Our short courses are designed to entice you into the world of hand crafted artisan food in a short amount of time, whether it’s a half-day mini-course, a 5-day professional course or something in between.

We have grouped our courses into the following three skill levels:

Beginner

Roll up your sleeves and develop your artisan skills with our Beginner courses. Learn the fundamental techniques of producing your own artisan food and drink with our range of one-, two- and three-day courses.

Intermediate

Go a step further in mastering complex techniques and forgotten methods of artisan food and drink. These courses offer greater depth in practical classes lasting two to five days.

Advanced & Professional Courses

Designed for existing artisan producers, the Professional range of courses offer an advanced and methodical programme of study on the art and science of artisan food and drink. Courses include theory, technical lectures and practical workshops.

Who teaches the classes?

We have a team of expert artisan producers and practitioners from the UK and beyond. We also host well-known visiting artisans, chefs and guest lecturers. Take a look at our teachers page. 

The School reserves the right to change the tutor specified on the course description.

What are your fees and what else do I need to pay?

The costs of courses vary depending on the type and duration.

All full-day courses include refreshments throughout the day as well as lunch.

You don’t have to bring anything except yourself (and maybe a camera to record your experience!). Here at the School, we provide all of your ingredients and equipment, as well as recipe cards for you to take home.

Please be aware that courses are non-residential and the fee does not include:

• Travel to and from the school.
• Accommodation if you require an overnight stay in the local area.

I’d like to book on to a course – what next?

Once you have chosen which course you’d like to join, all you have to do is register your details on our website and follow the simple step-by-step instructions.

Upon booking a course a non-refundable deposit of 25% is payable immediately. Full payment is required no less than 21 days prior to the start of the course. Alternatively, you may pay the course fee in full at the time of booking.

How do I make changes to my booking?

To cancel a course place, please notify us by telephone or email. Please do not consider your booking cancelled until you have received a cancellation acknowledgement from us.

Late cancellations often have an impact on other customers and the business and therefore we do not offer refunds on course cancellations made less than 21 days before the start of a course.

You can request a transfer to another course, up to 5 working days (Monday - Friday) prior to the start date of your course.

Although these terms and conditions apply to all bookings we do try to be flexible and if you feel your cancellation is due to exceptional circumstances, please do contact us.

Course transfers

If you are unable to attend a course you may request to transfer your booking to another date, subject to availability. Any payment already received will be held on your account for a period of up to 12 months and can be used against any course during that time.

Any monies on account which have not been used against other bookings after 12 months from the date of receipt of payment will be deemed donations to The School of Artisan Food charity.

Transfers are not available if requested less than 5 working days (Monday to Friday) prior to the start of a course, as it is unlikely we will be able to fill your place at such short notice and we will already have incurred costs.

You can transfer your booking to someone else at any time, as long as payment has been received in full and you notify us who will be attending at least 48 hours in advance of the course.

Refunds

If you are unable to attend a course that you have booked and do not wish to transfer your booking, you can request a refund of the fee paid, less the 25% non-refundable deposit, up to five days before the date of the course. After this date, the fee and deposit will not be refunded.

Refunds may take up to 30 days to process from receipt of the request and are made to the source of the payment received.

We are unable to issue refunds for courses booked as gifts or booked using gift vouchers. We will hold the amount paid on account for use against future bookings for up to 12 months.

Non-attendance
Any non-attendance on bookings without prior cancellation will not be transferred to another course and all payments received will be retained and deemed donations to The School of Artisan Food charity.

Cancellations by the School of Artisan Food

In the event that the School of Artisan Food cancels a course, due to unforeseen circumstances, we will offer a full refund of payment already received, or a transfer to an alternative date for the same course if available, or to an alternative course of your choice, subject to availability.  Any additional cost will have to be paid in accordance with these terms and conditions.

Refunds will be paid within 30 days.

In the event of cancellation, we will give as much notice as possible and will notify you using the contact details registered to your account. Please make sure these are correct and up to date.

The content of the advertised course may change at our discretion and the School reserves the right to change the tutor specified on the course description.