Cooking Vacations for Lovers of Fine Cuisine

In recent years, cooking vacations have soared in popularity. Vacationers can learn how to prepare culinary delights in exotic locations such as Barcelona, France, and Tuscany, Italy or quaint towns such as Napa Valley, California.

Cooking vacations are a great choice for people who love to cook and want to expand their culinary knowledge and sharpen knife skills. Students learn how to prepare local cuisine from renowned celebrity chefs and share prepared feasts in an intimate setting.

Foodies who fantasize about creating masterpiece dishes or yearn to learn from highly trained chefs without attending culinary school will find cooking vacations can help fulfill their dreams. In addition to indulging in exquisite cuisine, cooking vacations include traditional vacation activities such as spa treatments, shopping, local tours, hiking, biking, water sports, wining and dining.

If you long for a unique vacation experience, consider one of the following culinary destinations. Whether vacationing with your spouse, family or friends, each option offers something for everyone.

Blair House Inn Bed and Breakfast

Located in Wimberley, Texas, Blair House Inn Bed and Breakfast was host to the Food Network during the filming of "Barbeque Camp." Blair House offers two- and three-day cooking schools and corporate team building retreats.

Two day cooking classes are offered on Friday and Saturday and provide one-on-one training with Blair House Executive Chef, Norris Sebastian. Students learn a variety of cooking techniques as they work with Chef Sebastian to prepare a five course dinner which is served to guests on Saturday evening.

Class size is limited to two people, so reservations must be made at least two weeks in advance. Two day cooking classes are $160.00 per person, plus tax.

Three day cooking classes encompass specific themes and provide students with sixteen hours of food preparation. Students prepare two breakfasts, two lunches, and two dinners. Afterwards, students share their culinary delights with one another in the Blair House Inn dining room.

Each course is specifically designed to provide students with lifelong cooking skills which allow them to easily prepare any type of meal at home. Cooking themes vary by month and include: Barbeque Camp, Italian Cuisine, American Comfort Foods, Mediterranean Cuisine, and Holiday Feast and Baking.

Prices range from $609.98 to $715.88 and include one-on-one cooking instruction, accommodations, taxes and tips.

Blair House Inn Bed and Breakfast
100 Spoke Hill Road
Wimberley, Texas 78676
Phone: 512.847.1111
Toll Free: 877.549.5450
Website: www. BlairHouseInn.com

Culinary Vacations, Inc.

Culinary Vacations, Inc. was founded by Chef John Wilson, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Culinary Vacations offers cooking classes in Asheville, North Carolina and Atlanta, Georgia, as well as European destinations such as Barcelona, Spain and Normandy, France.

Asheville, North Carolina cooking vacations are hosted on weekends at the Sweet Biscuit Inn. Themed culinary workshops include: Foods of Spain, Country French or Rustic Italian. Students learn how to prepare a meal for four in one hour, along with a party menu demonstration class.

Weekend getaway rates range from $438.75 to $583.15 and include accommodations, cooking demonstrations, meals, tips and taxes.

Chef Wilson offers one day cooking classes in Roswell, Georgia at the cost of $60 per person. Cooking demonstrations vary throughout the year and include: basic knife skills, summer cooking from the garden, Asian style dinner party, couples cooking, spring in Italy, and tamale workshop.

Culinary Vacations, Inc.
P.O. Box 747
Roswell, GA 30077
Phone: 770.998.2073
Toll Free: 888.636.2073
Website: www.CulinaryVacationsInc.com

Gourmet on Tour

Gourmet on Tour hosts a variety of cooking vacations in the U.S. and abroad. U.S. culinary vacations are hosted in California and themes include: Cuisine and Spa Experience, Wine Experience Sonoma Napa, and In the Kitchen of a Master Chef.

Cooking classes vary by date and vacation options range from two days to one week. Gourmet cooking themes include: Tuscan country cuisine, dinner party classes, pastry workshops, Mediterranean cooking, Thai, Mexican, and Classic Japanese.

Students can learn from master chefs such as Rick Bayless, Ming Tsai, Thomas Keller, John Ash, Linda Carucci, Jacques Torres and Joanne Weir; many of which have been featured on Bravo TVs, Top Chef Masters.

Prices range from $890 per person for two nights/two cooking classes to $2290 per person for five nights/five cooking classes. Prices include accommodations in a four-star luxury hotel, daily buffet breakfast, nightly wine and cheese party, daily cooking classes, coffee and tea tastings, one 50-minute massage, tax and service charge.

Gourmet on Tour, Ltd.
28 Old Brompton Road, Suite 828
London SW7 3SS
U.S. Phone: 646.461.6088
Website: www.GourmetOnTour.com

Gourmet Retreats at Casa Lana

Casa Lana is a quaint bed and breakfast lodge located in the heart of Napa Valley wine country. Founder and chef, Lana Richardson, shares her passion for cooking by offering personal culinary classes ranging from five hours to five days.

Five day culinary learning classes encompass knife skills, ingredient selection and storage, cooking methods and techniques, recipe concepts and flavor balancing, menu planning and entertainment, stocks and sauces, and baking.

Gourmet Retreats also offers 5-day Boot Camp Cooking, 1-day Wine Country Cooking, 2-day Weekend Retreats, and Team Building Cooking Classes. Prices range from $175 per person to $1450 per person and include hands-on instruction, cooking manuals and recipes. Accommodations are available at Casa Lana and other local B&Bs for an additional cost.

Gourmet Retreats at Casa Lana
1316 South Oak Street
Calistoga, California 94515
Phone: 707.942.0615
Toll Free: 877.YOU.COOK
Website: www.GourmetRetreats.com

Hugh Carpenter Cooking Schools

Deemed, "Cooking Teacher of the Year" by the International Association of Culinary Professionals, Hugh Carpenter has shared his love for cooking with more than 100,000 students. Chef Carpenter offers cooking schools in Napa Valley, California and San Miguel, Mexico, along with a variety of one to three day cooking classes presented across the nation.

Camp Napa Culinary offers students an intense, but fun-filled, six-day cooking extravaganza that kicks off with an intimate welcome dinner at Hugh Carpenter's home. Students become immersed in Napa Valley culture by participating in private wine tastings, playing croquet and bocce ball, preparing authentic Italian brick oven pizzas, and creating personal wine blends.

Week-long cooking schools in Napa Valley cost $2100 per person and include personal instruction, lunches, dinners and receptions. Hotel accommodations and related travel expenses are additional.

Hugh Carpenter Camp Napa Culinary
3960 Hagen Road
Napa, California 94558
Phone: 707.252.9773
Toll Free: 888.999.4844
Website: www.HughCarpenter.com