This course shows that we can eat deliciously, ethically and healthily all at the same time. We want ambitious cooks to be creating outstanding dishes for sophisticated entertaining and professional menus, while still feeling they are doing good in the world. To do that you need to understand that where our food comes from doesn’t just dramatically influence taste but also the health of our bodies and of the planet we’re living on. Being mindful of what we put in our bodies today is looking after ourselves in the future. So we’re delighted to bring our River Cottage students on a new cooking and culinary skills journey while teaching all the ethics of River Cottage’s approach to sourcing ingredients. It’s so rewarding to watch food enthusiasts around the world take on this challenge and prosper from the teaching and feedback of our expert chef-tutors, as well as supporting each other in their classrooms and building lasting connections as they see their skills develop and flourish.
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall - River Cottage
Scientists are discovering more everyday about the link between gut health, immunity and well being. Around 70% of the immune system lies in the gut, so anything positive we can do for our microbes, directly affects immunity. I want to show people that what we eat doesn’t just improve our day-to-day health and wellbeing, it also affects our future health for the rest of our lives. I’m delighted to be able to share my enthusiasm for seasonality, whole foods, fermented foods and prebiotics in all their abundant variety. This is the delicious food your body wants you to eat to help it feel amazing.
Nutritionist and author Naomi Devlin, who runs the Boosting Gut Health and Immunity course
Fermentation is a cornerstone of good eating, but too many people are daunted by the science of it. This course is all about demystifying this ancient art and making it really accessible, fun and wildly delicious. It’s about taking pleasure in food as much as goodness from it, and that’s highly motivating when you are learning a new set of skills in the kitchen.
Award-winning author and fermentation expert Rachel de Thample, who teaches Next Level Fermentation
The new River Cottage Next Level Diploma drives home the link between what we eat, who we are and the planet we live on. It will challenge students to embrace River Cottage’s standards of ethical sourcing and sustainability alongside growing their cooking skills. Many of our students who completed the first River Cottage Diploma are looking to take their skills to the next level, and this will help them do exactly that. It’s also a brilliant opportunity for both serious home cooks and budding professionals to massively increase both their skill set and their understanding of what enlightened modern cooking is all about.
Elspeth Briscoe CEO of Learning with Experts
River Cottage HQ, situated on the Devon-Dorset border, is a thriving 100 acre organic smallholding. It’s home to the multi-award-winning cookery school, and the base for unique dining experiences and events including bespoke courses and dinners, weddings and private parties. Renowned for its keen sense of seasonality and sustainability and always proud to champion the best local producers, it’s a foodie hub where you can learn, cook, eat and always be inspired.