Cooking Classes in Burgundy, France with Chef Robert Ash

Discover the day-by-day itinerary for your French cooking school vacation below. Although the daily programs shown here are typical, the menu and actual dishes prepared during your Burgundy culinary vacation will vary according to season and market supply. The intention is to use the very best and freshest ingredients, and to demonstrate as many useful techniques as time allows.

Day One

• Transfer from Lyon (St. Exupéry) airport (about one hour transfer time), Mâcon-Loché TGV or Mâcon-Ville rail stations (approx. 15 minutes).
• If arriving on your own plan to arrive by 6:00 p.m. at the latest.
• Enjoy a welcome drink with Chef Robert. Settle into your room, then enjoy a delicious supper at 7:30 p.m. This meal, like all the others during your stay, will be accompanied by select wines from Burgundy and the Mâconnais region.
• Overnight.

Day Two

• Breakfast served from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 am.
• Receive your welcome packet including recipes, a personalized folder, and an apron.
• First hands-on class at 10:00 a.m. Prepare lunch, which might consist of: bar à la crème de fenouil avec ses pommes dauphinoises (roast fillet of sea bass, cream fennel sauce and potatoes dauphinoise) and tarte tatin, plus a lesson to begin preparing confit de canard (duck confit).
• Lunch will be served at 1:00 p.m.
• The afternoon session may feature saumon en papillotte (salmon in paper parcels) and desserts including Italian biscotti.
• Dinner will be served at 7:30 p.m.
• Overnight.

Day Three

• Breakfast.
• Morning cooking class, which might include: oeufs carême (a dish devised by Queen Victoria’s personal chef), confit de canard, and profiteroles au chocolat.
• Lunch at 1:00 p.m.
• This afternoon you have an optional Burgundy wine tour and tasting to le Hameau du Vin wine museum in Romanèche (about 10 minutes away), where you will enjoy a tour and tasting, followed by a visit to the nearby Maison Jacoulot, producers of liqueurs and eaux-de-vie.
• Dinner at the house at 7:30 p.m.
• Overnight.

Day Four

• Breakfast.
• Set off early this morning for Lyon, about an hour away, and visit the justly-celebrated les Halles market. Peruse the fish and shellfish, the oyster bars, the meat and cheese vendors, the wine, bread and patisserie, vegetables, spices, and confectionery – all of the highest quality! You will also visit a specialty kitchen equipment shop.
• Lunch will be at an excellent restaurant in central Lyon.
• Return around 6 pm and chef’s supper at 8:00 p.m.
• Overnight.

Day Five

• Breakfast.
• Your morning class might include: pintade rôtie avec pancetta, rosti et sauce chanterelles (guinea fowl wrapped in pancetta with rosti potatoes and chanterelle sauce), millefeuille de fraises (strawberry millefeuille) or mousse au chocolat grand marnier.
• Lunch at the house to follow.
• In the afternoon, free time, or enjoy optional Burgundy wine tours to the wineries of Pouilly Fuissé and St. Véran.
• Return to the house for dinner and presentation of certificates of completion at 7:30 p.m.
• Overnight.

Day Six

• Late breakfast and morning at leisure.
• Chef Robert will be at your disposal throughout the morning to review any of the recipes and techniques.
• During the morning guests will be transferred to the Lyon airport or either of the Mâcon railway stations.
• If you are using your own transport you should plan to depart by midday.