Gourmet cooking in the beautiful English countryside of Sussex

Meet Kit

Kit is a fun, jovial Englishman and a real foodie who credits his passion for cooking to his mother - a great cook. His fondest childhood memories are of lounging around the dining table as a family, drinking coffee and discussing what the next meal would be. Kit joined the British army and kept finding himself gravitating to the Officers’ Mess kitchen! He eventually resigned from the army to follow his true passion – food and cooking. He learned his craft from a number of characters who served everyone from celebrities to royalty in London, and he went on to own a lobster shack in the Virgin Islands as well as run a very popular restaurant and bar in Chelsea (frequented by Princess Diana at the time!). He set up other restaurants in London before deciding to move to the English countryside with his family. He is passionate about teaching youngsters and educating people about local food while helping local producers and farmers gain access to markets. Kit lives in a medieval farmhouse (the kind people leave London for!) and loves hosting travelers and locals alike.

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

In-home meal (1 - 6 guests) Meet your host Kit at his rural farmhouse in the High Weald of Sussex, a pastoral region of England with a wooded skyline. Kit loves to show people around the area where he lives, so start your experience with quick tour of the region he lives in and loves. You'll learn about the history of the area - including how it produced iron ore for the Roman empire helping to fuel the industrial revolution! Return home for a drink and join your host at his dining table to enjoy a local English meal with a creative twist. Your meal will include three courses which will be served family style. Your menu might include an appetizer such as hot smoked salmon with creamed horseradish or wild garlic pesto on focaccia, followed by a main like local beef fillet with dauphinoise potatoes and a vegetable ratatouille or local lobster served with black pudding. End your meal with a sweet raspberry tart with cream or an apple crumble served with custard.

Kit is open to offering vegan and vegetarian menus.

Cooking experience (1 - 6 guests) Join your host Kit at his farmhouse kitchen and learn to cook a local, gourmet English meal in this Sussex cooking class. Your meal will be created from recipes handed down to Kit from his mother, which he has perfected and added his own flavor to over the years. Your hands-on cooking class will last about two hours, during which you will learn to cook three dishes from scratch that include an appetizer, a main and a dessert. Enjoy learning about the tips and techniques involved in preparing hearty English cuisine before you sit down at the table to share the meal you helped prepare with Kit.

Market visit (1 - 6 guests) This is not a market tour, rather a tour of Kit's local farm producers. Meet your host Kit at his home before taking a half-hour trip to Hastings, one of the oldest beach-launching fishing fleets in the UK. Meet the local fisherman, get a quick tour of the boats and purchase fish that you will bring back to cook during your cooking class. On your way back, you will stop at Cooper’s Farm, a small farm with Sussex cattle and pigs in the woods. Meet a passionate farmer, and friend of Kit's, and learn about how they raise cattle organically. Your local producer tour will last about two hours.

We recommend bringing sneakers or appropriate footwear, as well as a jacket or raincoat, since you will be outside touring local farms and exploring the pastures.

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