Top 5 Private Cooking Classes Oxford Folks Vouch For

Oxford is a city known for its deep appreciation of global cuisines, with Japanese food being a particular favourite among its residents. Whether you are a university student looking to impress with home-cooked meals, a local eager to explore new cooking styles, or someone passionate about sustainable practices, Oxford offers a variety of options to suit your needs.  However, finding the right cooking class for you can be a challenge, especially for specialised areas like sourdough baking or plant-based cooking, where demand is high and availability is limited.  Thankfully, Oxford’s lively food culture is supported by a community of talented chefs who offer private cooking sessions, giving you the flexibility and personal attention that group classes might lack.  This blog can serve as your guide to the top five private chefs leading the most exciting cooking classes Oxford has to offer, perfect for diving into specific cuisines or techniques in a fun and engaging way.
8 September 2024 6 min read
Find some amazing cooking classes Oxford offers.

Cook Like a Pro: 5 Expert-Led Oxford Cooking Classes You Need to Try

Whether you’re seeking dietary-specific options or looking to master a particular cuisine, these are the five world-class chefs leading the most exciting Oxford cooking classes.

1. Chef Emma B

Chef Emma is a passionate private chef with a rich culinary background influenced by her Portuguese and Mauritian heritage, alongside her husband’s Indian roots. Her cooking style blends these diverse cultures with techniques she’s perfected during travels to Italy, Thailand, and Spain. 

In a Thai cooking class Oxford food lovers seek out, Emma’s unique combination of creativity and precision truly shines. With a scientific background inspired by chefs like Heston Blumenthal, her cooking lessons in Oxfordshire deliver both artistry and a deep understanding of culinary techniques. Emma excels at personalising her teaching, ensuring every class suits the students’ needs.

She also leads the most engaging Japanese cooking class Oxford offers, where students can explore the delicate art of sushi-making and other traditional dishes.

Chef Emma offers Oxford cooking classes.

Highlights

  • Specialities: Kadhai Chicken, Thai Red Curry, Kheer (Rice Pudding).
  • Cuisines: French, Greek, Turkish, Mediterranean.
  • Price: Starts from £35 per person.
  • Customer Rating: 5/5 ⭐

2. Chef Miranda

Chef Miranda has cooked for Hollywood actors and music moguls, bringing a refined touch to every meal she prepares. Known for her light and elegant cuisine, her Thai cookery class in Oxford highlights her clean and honest cooking style, focusing on using organic, responsibly sourced ingredients. 

Her dedication to sourcing even extends to using organic meat from her sister’s farm in Scotland. Miranda’s cooking class in Oxfordshire is ideal for those seeking a personalised and health-conscious approach, as she always avoids deep frying in her methods. 

She also offers the best specialised vegetarian cooking classes Oxford can offer you, where she teaches students how to create nutritious, flavour-packed dishes. For those interested in plant-based diets, her vegan cooking class in Oxford emphasises the importance of flavour and presentation, making her classes a perfect fit for any level of cook.

Hire Chef Miranda for the finest Thai cookery class Oxford offers. 

Highlights

  • Specialities: Pan Fried Sea Bass With Fennel, Crab Linguine, Chocolate Almond Cake.
  • Cuisines: Mexican, Modern European, French, Greek.
  • Price: Starts from £60 per person.
  • Customer Rating:  5/5 ⭐

3. Chef John

Chef John’s dynamic personality and passion for food make his classes anything but ordinary. With a background rooted in South African cuisine and nine years of living in Thailand, he brings a unique twist to every dish he teaches. 

His Thai cooking class in Oxford is a standout, as he blends authentic flavours with his own creative flair, giving students an opportunity to learn traditional Thai recipes with a modern touch. His deep expertise in pastries and desserts offering a sweet ending to his Oxford cooking classes that many other chefs can’t match. 

His time spent in a 2 AA Rosette-awarded restaurant and a 2-star Michelin apprenticeship means his lessons are not just fun but refined and full of pro tips. Whether you’re mastering the delicate art of sushi in his Japanese cooking class in Oxford or perfecting a pastry, John’s classes ensure you leave with skills that stay with you long after the class ends. 

For the best Thai cooking class Oxford offers, hire Chef John.

Highlights

  • Specialities: Thai Red Beef Curry With Jasmine Rice, Tuna Mayonnaise Tartlets. 
  • Cuisines: Japanese, Thai, Italian, British. 
  • Price: Starts from £50 per person.
  • Customer Rating:  5/5 ⭐

4. Chef Ash

Chef Ash’s culinary journey began early, shaped by his passion for good food and formal training at Reading Cooking College under 2016 MasterChef winner Jane Davenshitr. In his cooking class Oxford residents can learn to blend classic techniques with modern twists, just as Ash does with his signature earthy cooking style. 

His expertise spans a variety of dishes, but one of the highlights is his rich, flavourful risotto, which he teaches in detail, guiding students through each step. Ash’s Oxford cooking class is ideal for those wanting to explore how to incorporate space and alcohol into dishes for unique and bold flavours. 

His cookery lessons in Oxford are perfect for both beginners and seasoned cooks, offering a relaxed yet informative environment where creativity thrives.

Chef Ash’s is the best cooking class Oxford offers.

Highlights

  • Specialities: Caribbean Curry Goat, Panna Cotta With Raspberry.
  • Cuisines: Italian, Middle Eastern, Greek, Mediterranean, British.
  • Price: Starts from £35 per person.
  • Customer Rating:  5/5 ⭐

5. Chef Dom

Chef Dom brings over a decade of experience, having worked in various prestigious restaurants and private events. His approach to cooking is rooted in simplicity and flavour, focusing on fresh, locally sourced ingredients. In his Oxford cooking classes, Dom teaches students how to transform everyday ingredients into extraordinary dishes, making his sessions ideal for those looking to enhance their cooking skills. 

His passion for plant-based cuisine shines through in his vegetarian cooking classes Oxford foodies love. He will teach you how to balance flavours, choose the right seasonal ingredients, and apply advanced techniques like slow roasting and marinating to elevate simple vegetables into gourmet dishes.

Dom’s teaching style is hands-on and engaging, ensuring that every student develops a thorough grasp of the techniques he demonstrates. His cooking classes in Oxford cater to both beginners and advanced cooks, offering an inclusive experience that leaves everyone with valuable new skills.

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For the best vegetarian cooking classes Oxford offers, hire Chef Dom.

Highlights

  • Specialities: Roast Halibut, Veal a la Africaine.
  • Cuisines: French, British. 
  • Price: Starts from £100 per person.
  • Customer Rating:  5/5 ⭐

Custom Cooking Classes in Oxford: Where Your Kitchen Becomes a Classroom

Cooking classes in Oxford can sometimes be more of a hassle than a help, can’t they? You often have to trek across the city to a location that’s not exactly convenient—perhaps all the way to the outskirts or a busy spot like Cowley Road. Then there’s the issue of fixed schedules that don’t always fit into your life, especially with Oxford’s unpredictable academic or tourist seasons. Worse, you could end up in a class that’s too basic or too advanced.

This is where yhangry stands out, offering a superior, more enjoyable alternative. You can hire a professional chef to come to your own kitchen in Jericho or perhaps set up a cooking session in a lovely outdoor space like University Parks. You get to learn at your own pace, with lessons scheduled at times that perfectly fit around your commitments—no more rushing through traffic to make it to a class on time.

You choose the dishes, whether it’s perfecting a traditional English roast, exploring vegetarian cuisine, or diving into vegan baking. The chefs bring everything—ingredients and equipment—and even handle the clean-up afterwards.

With the flexibility to book and cancel as your schedule demands, arranging a private cooking session with our diverse pool of chefs in Oxford becomes a seamless and highly personalised experience.

FAQs

The cost of cooking classes with Yhangry varies based on factors like the chef’s expertise, the number of attendees, ingredient requirements, dish complexity, and preparation time. Yhangry chefs set a minimum spend, typically ranging from £300 to £1,000, with higher rates for Michelin-trained and MasterChef-level chefs.

In Oxford, you can take cooking classes at Jericho Kitchen Cookery School, or Rachel’s Apron, each offering a variety of hands-on culinary experiences. Alternatively, you can use platforms like Yhangry offering private chef-led classes tailored for individuals or groups, offering a personalised experience at home.

A cooking class makes a good team-building option because it fosters collaboration and communication while offering a fun, hands-on experience that strengthens team relationships. It also encourages creativity and problem-solving in a relaxed environment.