Upmarket retailer Waitrose will become the first UK supermarket operator to open a cookery school, when it opens a facility above its Finchley Road outlet in October.

The 4,600 sq ft cookery school will comprise a theatre, teaching area, dining area, bar and kitchen. It will create 16 new jobs, including highly skilled chefs, the firm said today (2 July).

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

The school will offer a range of cookery classes including sessions on particular cuisine styles like Indian or Italian as well as offering skills-based courses like butchery, baking and knife skills. It will also use the space to train its specialists that work in its branches.

Waitrose executive chef, Neil Nugent said: This exciting new venture for Waitrose echoes the strong appetite for food education as a result of the growth of celebrity chefs and food programming, coupled with the lack of nutrition education since it was removed from the National Curriculum in 1984. We want to inspire the nation to move from just watching cookery programmes to actually cooking and experimenting with new ingredients.”

 

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Just Food Excellence Awards - The Benefits of Entering

Gain the recognition you deserve! The Just Food Excellence Awards celebrate innovation, leadership, and impact. By entering, you showcase your achievements, elevate your industry profile, and position yourself among top leaders driving food industry advancements. Don’t miss your chance to stand out—submit your entry today!

Nominate Now