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Bonne Bouffe Cooking School, France | www.cookingatbonnebouffe.com

One of the first things guests experience at this cooking school in rural southern France is a trip to the local market. “It’s not just to see and buy some fantastic produce, with which we then create dinner, but to breathe in and sample the French way of life,” says Denise West, the school’s co-founder. “We teach our guests to use ingredients that are in season. Shopping from local markets certainly allows them to do this.”

All classes are taught in English and are kept down to intimate groups of four to six. The dishes and menus are explained in personal recipe packs. Denise’s husband Chris devised and implemented cookery classes for staff at the UK headquarters for Microsoft where he was Executive Chef for five years. His success there inspired the couple to start their own cooking school. “The French have such pride in their cuisine—food plays such an integral part in every day life,” Denise says. “To learn about food in France first-hand takes you to the very heart of their communities. You discover that food dictates everyday life. Some say that if you understand the passion the French have for food and cooking you are half way to understanding their culture.”