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Gourmet Explorer- Michelin Star Cookery Course in Carcassonne

Highlights

  • Cookery lessons with accomplished mechelin star chefs
  • Stay in a beautifully renovated stone barn near Carcassonne
  • All meals and wine included
  • Free use of swimming pool, tennis court, table tennis, petanque
  • Trips to Carcassonne and to local artisan food and wine producers included.
£1850 pp
  1. Choose the date on the calendar ( 20th Sept 2024)
  2. Select the number and type of rooms
  3. Check availability
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What you'll do

Overview

Running from Friday 20 September – Wednesday 25 September, 2024
Learn or perfect your culinary skills with two award winning internationally acclaimed master chefs in a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere. Stay in a beautifully renovated stone barn with lovely gardens and a swimming pool.

On this 6 day residential cookery course your time in the kitchen will be divided between our two chefs. As young men, both trained in glitzy Michelin* restaurants in Paris and gained impressive professional global reputations.
Jean-Marc Boyer has guested at numerous prestigious restaurants internationally, including that of the world-renowned Alain Ducasse in New York – where in 2006 he was officially lauded as a young chef destined for culinary stardom. Jean-Marc now has his own Michelin-star restaurant near Carcassonne, and each year he takes time off  to tutor our residential courses – he has also been called to Paris, on occasion, to cook for President Macron.
Gregory Legros, also a native of our region, established a worldwide reputation running the kitchens of some of the world’s most impressive 5-star hotels, his most recent being several years at the legendary Sandy Lane Hotel in Barbados. A stupendous patisserie chef, he currently trains other professional chefs in France in the art of making magnificent cakes, pastries and desserts.

If you enjoy cooking you will have an amazing time learning from our two superb chefs, we will also take you on outings to wonderful local restaurants, the French market, vineyard wine tastings and visiting local artisan food producers.

 

 

Arrival and afternoon visit to a chocolatier or vinyard

On arrival, you will be met and transferred to the house , please ensure you arrive at the airport or train station by 11am to take the complimentary transfer.

Once at the house you will be shown to your room: all our en-suite rooms are twin or double with air-conditioning units, tea and coffee facilities, robes, towels, hair-dryers and toiletries. They all have pleasant views; two have balconies and one, downstairs, has a garden terrace.

Lunch will be served , and you can settle in before you take a short trip to visit a local chocolatier, or to Limoux to visit the vineyard and see the production of Blanquette or Cremante sparkling wine with wine tasting.

Before dinner is served there will be Aperitifs, and your 4 course dinner will be prepared by one of the chefs with our choice of wine included.

Morning visit to Carcassonne and Michelin Star lunch

After a delicious breakfast of croissants, bread, cereals, fruit, cheese, cold meats, yoghurts, and eggs cooked to order, you will visit the local french market in Carcassonne, and take a walk around the UNESCO heritage site of the walled city of Carcassonne.

You will enjoy a lovely lunch at the city’s Michelin star restaurant, Barbacane.

In the afternoon you will have your first cooking lesson with chef Greg Legros, where students will be making 3 of the 4 courses for today’s dinner.

Aperitifs will be served before dinner.

 

Cookery lesson with Greg Legros and afternoon at leisure

After breakfast today you will get to work in the kitchen with Greg Legros who will instruct as you prepare today’s lunch dishes. There will also be an emphasis on patisseries, croissants or breads.

After a break for lunch the afternoon will be free for you to enjoy the pool, take a bicycle ride or stroll into the nearby village.

Afternoon tea and cakes will be served.

Pre dinner aperitifs will be served before your 4 course chef prepared dinner, chefs choice of wine included.

 

In the kitchen with Jean Marc Boyer

After breakfast you will have your first patisserie session with Jean- Marc Boyer.

You will prepare lunch learning new flavours, textures, recipes and techniques, which you will then enjoy with the rest of the group.

After lunch you will experience your second cooking lesson with Jean Marc, when you will learn to create delicious dishes, which will be served at dinner time.

Pre dinner aperitifs will be served, and then dinner which you have prepared earlier.

Cooking with Jean Marc Boyer

After a delicious breakfast you will be back in the kitchen today with Jean Marc Boyer, learning from his vast repertoire of recipes, techniques and flavour combinations. Today you will assist in preparing lunch for the group.

In the afternoon you will visit a local vineyard or artisan food producer.

Aperitifs will be served at the house before you leave for dinner at a local restaurant, with wine included.

Departure Day

After breakfast you will say your goodbyes and transport will be provided to the airport or the train station in Carcassonne. The latest departure time is midday.

Accommodation

Your accommodation for the duration of the retreat will be in a beautifully renovated stone house with lovely gardens, several terraces, a large private pool with a barbecue area for al fresco dining, an all-weather tennis court, a covered table-tennis area and a petanque (boules) pitch. There is also an  indoor games room with pool-table and a classic 1950s juke box. Bicycles are available for guests use.

The 8 individually-designed, ensuite bedrooms are double, twin or triple-sized. All have AC units, hairdryers and CD players. Towels are provided for both indoor and outdoor use. Two ground-floor rooms are suitable for guests with mobility limitations ( please advise us on booking if you require one of these). Two of the bedrooms have balconies, offering superb views of the Pyrenees to the south and the Black Mountains to the north.

What's included

Included

  • Transfers from Carcassonne Airport ( or Carcassonne train station)
  • 5 Nights Accommodation in a elegant ensuite room
  • Abundant breakfasts, and Lunches and Dinners with wine each day
  • Tuition with chefs Greg Legros and Jean Marc Boyer (6 x 3 hour sessions)
  • Visits the the french market and medieval city of Carcassonne
  • Bicycles, tennis court, table tennis, pool table and boules for guests use
  • Pool towels are provided
  • One lunch and one dinner at local high quality restaurants with wine and transport included
  • Visit to a local artisan food producer or chocolatier and to a vineyard with wine tasting
Your local host

Moira

I’m Moira Martingale, a journalist, author and former columnist for national and regional British newspapers and magazines.  

Since 1994, I have owned a beautiful house surrounded by idyllic countryside in an un-spoilt and deeply historical area of France where food, wine, literature and beautiful music remain de rigueur –  and I wanted to share  this wonderful property and the region with more than just family and friends. So, operating tutored vacation retreats time seemed like a great idea. I  started with creative arts courses – and then a couple of years later I extended the kitchen substantially for our Gastro Academy cookery courses. 

Songwriting breaks began in 2010, firstly with Dean Friedman as tutor f... Read All

I’m Moira Martingale, a journalist, author and former columnist for national and regional British newspapers and magazines.  

Since 1994, I have owned a beautiful house surrounded by idyllic countryside in an un-spoilt and deeply historical area of France where food, wine, literature and beautiful music remain de rigueur –  and I wanted to share  this wonderful property and the region with more than just family and friends. So, operating tutored vacation retreats time seemed like a great idea. I  started with creative arts courses – and then a couple of years later I extended the kitchen substantially for our Gastro Academy cookery courses. 

Songwriting breaks began in 2010, firstly with Dean Friedman as tutor for almost a decade and more recently, with Mike Batt.  

These have always been the most wonderfully rewarding retreats, not just for the participants, who always adore them, but for me too. The sound of music constantly being played in all corners of the property and grounds – like a beautiful auditory backdrop – is the most enriching experience for me and all the other members of staff. We just love being on the perimeter of all that joy and enthusiasm. 

 

 

 

Moira image

Location

Your 5 night all inclusive retreat starts at Carcassonne Airport, where you will be met on arrival.  You will be transferred to the beautiful 200 year old stone barn , your base for the next 6 days.

Situated amid sunflower fields in a peaceful rural area on the outskirts of the medieval World Heritage site of Carcassonne, the barn has been uniquely converted in Art Deco style with large, open living spaces  and a large well equipped kitchen for cookery demonstrations and individual work stations.

Get ready to relax in graceful and superior surroundings. The gardens are lovely, there are several terraces, a large private pool with a barbecue area for al fresco dining, an all-weather tennis court, a covered table-tennis area and a petanque (boules) pitch. There is also an  indoor games room with pool-table and a classic 1950s juke box. Bicycles are available for guests use.

To take advantage of the complimentary transfer please book flights or trains to arrive in Carcassonne airport or train station by around 11am.

FAQs

What will the menus include?

A sample of the menus taught on the course are:

MENU1
Creamed pumpkin with scallops

Yellow curry with mashed rutabaga

Apple meringues with caramelized pistachios

Foie gras with creamed coconut

Cassoulet with beans and foie gras of duck

Duck grilled with cheese, celery and apples

Pears with candied ginger caramel, cream tea with jasmine

Caramelised scallops with beetroot and orange purée

Pigeon with foie gras and stewed sweet potatoes

Soft chocolate cakes

Croissants

MENU 2
Green zébra tomatoes in basil and olive oil

Baked duck with saffron tomatoes

Tiramisu with figs

Brochettes of goat’s cheese with sésame and cherry tomatoes

Escalope of foie gras with figs and reduced balsamic vinegar

Guinea fowl with Sechuan pepper and cocoa, mashed celeriac

White tomato confit with vanilla

Tartare of red tomatoes with tarragon and yellow tomato jelly

Filet of trout and sesame braised lettuce hearts, jus of red peppers

Tarte of figs and Rosemary

Croissants

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