Cutting Edge Culinary Skills

Structured Professional Development day for everyone from foodie team days to Specialist Head Chef training.

At Ground Up Cookery School, we create innovative, contemporary training experiences that are entirely bespoke to your organisation. Each event is designed from scratch to meet your objectives, whether you want to strengthen culinary skills, inspire creativity, or embed sustainable practices across your team.

Whilst specialising in foraging, fermentation and reduced waste, we work with all levels of the food industry, from apprentices and rising stars to head chefs, directors, and sales and marketing teams. Mixed-ability groups are welcome — our sessions are interactive, inclusive, and designed to bring out the best in every participant.

Why Choose Ground Up Cookery School For Professional Training?

• Sustainability with impact – We help teams refine processes and reduce waste to meet Net Zero targets while improving profit margins.

• Unique culinary inspiration – Foraging and fermentation open the door to a whole new pantry of ingredients, sparking unique flavour profiles and innovative menu designs.

• Real business benefits – Increased efficiency, a motivated and inspired team, and the creation of menus that stand out in a competitive market.

• Flexible group sizes – We cater comfortably for 5–16 participants, with other group sizes possible by arrangement.

Our Specialisms

• Reducing waste – Practical methods to make the most of every ingredient

• Foraging – Discovering, identifying, and cooking with wild, seasonal produce

• Fermentation & Preservation – From traditional techniques to cutting-edge processes, including:

  • Smoking for depth and complexity

  • Powdering to intensify flavours and extend shelf life

  • Koji cultivation for umami-rich dishes

  • Miso making for savoury depth

  • Garum and other fermented sauces for unique seasoning

  • Plus constant experimentation with new ideas and methods

Your Lead Trainer

All specialist training is led by Colin Wheeler-James, founder of Ground Up Cookery School and an experienced chef, educator, and foraging expert. Nicknamed “the Willy Wonka of the Chef World”, Colin is constantly experimenting with new techniques, combinations, and flavours. He will challenge your team’s taste buds and culinary imagination, opening up creative possibilities you may never have considered.

Sample Agendas

Every training day is different — these examples give a taste of what’s possible.

Sample Agenda 1 – Foraging & Fermentation Focus

09:00 – Refreshments and overview of the day
09:30 – Foraging the lanes and hedges around the school
11:00 – Return to the school: introduction to fermented flavours, advanced preservation techniques (including smoking, powdering, koji), and reduced-waste cooking
12:00 – Cook lunch using foraged, preserved, and fermented ingredients
13:30 – Lunch
14:00 – Fermentation workshop (hands-on with miso, garum, and other seasonal ferments)
16:00 – Depart

Sample Agenda 2 – Sustainability & Menu Development

09:30 – Arrive at the Ground Up Cookery School. Refreshments
09:45 – Food waste recycling: techniques, ideas, and recipes
11:15 – Team discussion: applying waste-reduction principles in menu design for Project Renew
12:00 – Lunch: self-cooked shawarma and halloumi over open fire, seasonal salad, ferments and pickles; dessert of lemon posset with Japanese knotweed compote and smoked pear powder
12:45 – Fermentation masterclass (practical session and tastings of ~30 products, including miso, sauerkraut, kombucha, garum, kimchi, koji-based dishes, smoked and powdered ingredients)
14:00 – Foraging walk: tasting wild edibles and discussing culinary uses, followed by additional tastings back at the cookery school
15:00 – Wrap up and depart

At Ground Up Cookery School, training is hands-on, energising, and tailored to your needs — leaving your team with new skills, fresh ideas, and the tools to make sustainability a profitable reality. Above all, you’ll walk away inspired, with flavour profiles, techniques, and concepts that push the boundaries of what’s possible in the kitchen.

ACCOMMODATION

There is plenty of accommodation in the area . We are happy to book this as part of your package or our accommodation page will point you in the right direction. Bespoke days are not limited to corporate functions. They are equally well suited to those preferring an alternative hen or stag do, reunions of old friends/family or birthday party with a difference. Up to thirty people can be seated and menus can be created to cater for all budgets.

SEE ACCOMMODATION