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Vegetarian Ottolenghi Inspired Cooking Break in the Algarve

Highlights

  • Stunning accommodation with meals and airport transfers included
  • Learn to make delicious vegetarian dishes inspired by Ottolenghi and Belfrage in daily cooking classes.
  • Scenic riverside walks
From £796 pp*
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4 nights

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What you'll do

Overview

Discover Mediterranean lifestyle cuisine, hands on cooking lessons, health insights and time for relaxing on riverside strolls are included on this unique 4 night cooking holiday set in a stunning riverside villa with outdoor pool, amazing views and cosy elegant rooms.

2025 Dates:

21 – 25 March
9 – 13 May
12 - 16 September

Join us at this luxury riverside retreat in the stunning Algarve,  Winner of the LuxLife Hospitality Award: Best Culinary Boutique Retreat 2024 – Portugal

Embark on a journey to delight your senses! Embracing the Mediterranean lifestyle has amazing health benefits but also opens up a world of delicious flavours. The cuisine we will share with you is inspired by vegetarian food heroes such as Yotam Ottolenghi and Ixta Belfrage. Our retreat goes beyond cooking; it’s an exploration of healthy plant based living and hands-on culinary experiences.

 You’ll dive into food prep and enjoy the fruits of your labour, paired with exquisite Portuguese wines. In your leisure time, amble along serene riverside paths revealing awe-inspiring vistas.

This retreat isn’t just about elevating  your culinary skills; it’s a platform to foster lasting connections. Seize the opportunity to refine your cooking skills and immerse yourself in Mediterranean living. Secure your spot for an unforgettable experience!

* based on one person staying in a glamping tent.

Arrival

Settle into the river house and your room before enjoying a group welcome dinner.

Accommodation

Stay in an exceptional villa, lovingly known as ‘the river house’. Surrounded by countryside on a river-bend with an infinity pool to relax in and soak up the atmosphere. The villa boasts spectacular sunsets, sunrises and walking trails all around, and the town of Silves is just a 15 minute drive away.

The villa features 5 spacious and fully air-conditioned double bedrooms; 2 with ensuite bathrooms and a large communal bathroom. The comfortable rooms are stylishly decorated, maintaining many traditional features such as wooden beams. The upstairs rooms are flooded with natural light thanks to the skylights, and the downstairs rooms have double doors leading out onto the garden.

There are two cosy glamping tents which have a shared bathroom, these have comfortable full size beds, carpets and furniture.

All rooms can have single beds upon request and feature WiFi, duvets, linens, towels, hairdryers (in bathrooms), walk-in showers with handlebars, anti-allergy fibre pillows, mosquito net doors, heating, and A/C. Some also have a TV.

The villa also boasts light and airy social spaces; a high-ceiling lounge and kitchen with a center island and a cherry wood dining table. The lovely outdoor terrace is perfect for alfresco dining by the water.

 

Local farm visit and culinary adventure

Begin your day with a delightful Mediterranean-inspired breakfast that will fuel your adventures ahead. Our journey starts as we head to the local winery where you will have the opportunity to try the award winning wines accompanied by local tapas.

Upon returning to the villa there will be immersive and engaging cooking lessons and demonstrations, where we’ll explore the art of crafting Ottolenghi-inspired recipes.

As the sun sets, we gather to enjoy the fruits of our labour—a sumptuous dinner thoughtfully paired with exquisite Portuguese wines, a fitting culmination to a day filled with culinary exploration and delightful flavours

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Mediterranean street food and a relaxing afternoon

Get ready for a day that kick-starts with a burst of vitality! We’ll greet the morning with a refreshing breakfast, complete with freshly squeezed oranges—nature’s energy in a glass.

Lunchtime join us for a fun Falafel-Making Workshop where you’ll unlock the secrets to crafting those crispy, golden delights that define Mediterranean street food. Discover the artistry behind the perfect texture and flavour.

In the afternoon, we’ll embark on a leisurely countryside walk, where tranquillity meets inspiration, and your senses are set free. You have the freedom to explore the countryside at your own pace or simply unwind at our venue—a lazy afternoon, tailor-made for you.

Late afternoon brings a culinary spectacle. We’ll whip up a dazzling Medley of Ottolenghi and Ixta Belfrage dishes, each more extraordinary than the last. And when the sun dips below the horizon, we’ll come together for a memorable dinner paired with fine wines. It’s a grand finale you won’t want to miss!

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

A Celebration of Mediterranean Flavours

Prepare for a day that will electrify your senses and ignite your passion for Mediterranean cuisine! Get ready for a brunch that’s a true symphony of flavours—picture Shakshuka with Crusty Bread and Mediterranean Quiche with Feta and Spinach, ready to dazzle your taste buds.

But that’s just the beginning! In the afternoon, we’ll dive into the creation of Yotam Ottolenghi’s Spicy Mushroom Ragu masterpiece—a culinary gem that elevates countless dishes to perfection. Get ready to harness its aromatic magic! Next up, brace yourself for the creation of our special vegetarian Moussaka, adorned with all the delectable trimmings you can imagine. It’s a dish that embodies the heart and soul of Mediterranean cuisine.

Our evening dinner is a flavourful reunion with the dishes we’ve passionately crafted during our cooking class. This experience is a heartfelt celebration of Mediterranean flavours—an adventure you’ll cherish long after you return home. Get ready for a day that will tantalize, inspire, and warm your heart!

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Departure Day

After our final wholesome Mediterranean breakfast, we will pack up and say our goodbyes before returning home, taking much more than memories with you. You will continue enjoy the flavours, skills and recipes you have learned, with friends and family at home.

Meals: Breakfast

What's included

Included

  • Airport transfers to and from Faro Airport (at a specified time)
  • Welcome drinks
  • 4 nights accommodation
  • Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily and wine with evening meals
  • Daily cooking tuition and all ingredients
  • Market visit with transfers
  • Towels - Bath and swimming pool towels

Accommodation

Double room ensuite Double room with shared bathroom Glamping tent with shared bathroom

Double room ensuite

This room has double or twin beds for one or two people and has an ensuite bathroom
All rooms feature WiFi, duvets, linens, towels, hairdryers (in bathrooms), walk-in showers with handlebars, anti-allergy fibre pillows, mosquito net doors, heating, and A/C. Some also have a TV.

Facilities

Air conditioning En suite bathroom Hairdryer

Double room with shared bathroom

All rooms feature WiFi, duvets, linens, towels, hairdryers (in bathrooms), walk-in showers with handlebars, anti-allergy fibre pillows, mosquito net doors, heating, and A/C. Some also have a TV.

Facilities

Air conditioning Shared bathroom Hairdryer

Glamping tent with shared bathroom

The Glamping tent has a comfortable bed, duvet, linens, towels, anti-allergy fibre pillows, mosquito net doors. In the shared bathroom there is a hairdryer and walk-in shower with handlebars.

Facilities

Shared bathroom Hotel Swimming Pool Vegetarian Ottolenghi Inspired Cooking Break in the Algarve
Your local host

Cheryl and Graham

Cheryl and Graham look forward to welcoming you to their wonderful riverside home in the Algarve.

Cheryl and Graham look forward to welcoming you to their wonderful riverside home in the Algarve.

Cheryl and Graham image

Location

Stay in an exceptional villa by a river in Portugal’s Algarve countryside, just 15 minutes from the town of Silves. Lovingly known as ‘the river house’, you  will  feel  relaxed, inspired and very much at home. With terraces overlooking surrounding countryside, walking trails and a starry night sky, there isn’t a more idyllic place to perfect your vegetarian cooking skills.

There is a complimentary transfer service from and to Faro airport (35mins drive) offered by your hosts. On arrival day the airport pick-up will be at 3pm for the group, to take this transfer please choose flights with this pick up time in mind. Departure to Faro airport on your last day will be at 9:30 am. Please ensure your flight departure time is not before 12:30 if you wish to take this transfer.

If you choose flights which will not work with these times we can arrange alternative airport transfers for an extra charge.

FAQs

Who is it suitable for?

- Suitable for all cooking abilities from beginners to advanced
- Minimum age 18 with no upper age limit

I'm travelling solo - can I join?

- Solo travellers are more than encouraged to join as you will meet others with similar interests in the group
- You can book your own private room

What time is check-in?

Check in is after 2pm and check out is after breakfast on day 7

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