About

Owned and run by French chef and baker, Richard Bertinet, the Bertinet Kitchen cookery school opened in 2005 and offers a range of relaxed and fun courses for food lovers of all abilities and specialist baking and bread-making courses for amateurs and professionals alike.

Richard is originally from Brittany in North West France and trained as a baker from the age of 14. He had worked in restaurants and consulting before opening the cookery school, and was named BBC Food Champion of the Year 2010 at the BBC Food & Farming Awards. He has written many books including the award winning DOUGH (IACP Cookery book of the year 2006, James Beard Award for Best Book and the Julia Child Award for Best First Book), CRUST, COOK, PASTRY, PATISSERIE MAISON and CRUMB. DOUGH has recently been released as a 20th anniversary special edition in celebration of 20 years of The Bertinet Kitchen.

The school won the South West Tourism Award for Best Tourism Experience in 2025, and is a founder member of the Independent Cookery Schools Association and was the only UK cookery school featured in the US television series on PBS: Gourmet's Adventures with Ruth - a tour of cookery schools around the world.

The school offers a huge range of scheduled classes from one day to five days long, including bread making, pastry, patisserie, a range of regional and world cuisines including French, Italian, Japanese, Indian, Malaysian and more. The Bertinet Kitchen also offers skills based classes focusing on knife skills, saucing, pie and pizza making or patisserie skills like chocolate and sugar work. Special guest chef appearances and classes from household names including Nathan Outlaw, Mark Hix and Sat Bains, as well as specialist tutors including Valentina Harris, Monisha Bharadwaj and Helen Vass. The majority of classes are “hands-on” and include a sit down lunch with wine at the end of the day.

A programme of classes for young people, children and families runs during the holidays and bespoke corporate team building, hospitality and group events can be arranged upon request.

What’s on?

Richard Bertinet’s Signature 5 Day Bread Making Course

Begin the week with An Introduction to Bread Making on Monday followed by French Breads, Italian Breads, Dark & Sweet and Slowdoughs & Sourdoughs on the following days. Guests travel from all over the globe to attend this specialised course taught exclusively by Richard Bertinet, to hone their skills in the world of bread making. From amateur to professional chefs, all abilities are welcome on this course as you’ll be learning Richrd Bertinet’s ‘slap and fold’ technique so you can really ‘Show The Dough Who’s Boss’. This course usually runs once a month and sells out well in advance, so be sure to check the Bertinet Kitchen for available dates.

Introduction to Bread Making

The Bertinet Kitchen’s most popular one day class is taught by Richard Bertinet himself, where you’ll master the skill of working the dough before moving on to discover how versatile it is. You’ll make focaccia, pecorino and olive bread sticks, mini pain de mie and classic ciabattas. You’ll never look at supermarket bread in the same way again!

Chef’s Tables

As well as hands on classes, the Bertinet Kitchen hosts intimate Chef’s Table events where guests can cook, relax and dine with Richard Bertinet and guest chefs. With a maximum of 14 people, the Chef’s Table is a fantastic way to immerse yourself in the world of cooking whilst also sitting down to enjoying a delicious feast in the heart of Bath.

Accessibility

The Bertinet Kitchen lives within a beautiful converted stables over 2 floors; due to building limitations there is no lift, however both floors are accessible from the outside. The shop is located upstairs, while the kitchen is downstairs. The shop can be accessed from the St Andrew’s Terrace entrance, whilst the kitchen can be accessed via the doors at the side of the building via the Bartlett Street entrance. The team welcomes discussions on how they can accommodate individuals into the Kitchen, so do get in touch via the contact details provided if you have any accessibility requirements and they will do their upmost to accommodate you.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the age policy of the classes at The Bertinet Kitchen? General age guidance for standard classes at The Bertinet Kitchen is 18+, however they also host children’s classes and family bread making classes for children from age 8.

Do I need prior experience in cooking or baking to attend a class at The Bertinet Kitchen? No, the team at The Bertinet Kitchen are used to adapting their teaching to all abilities, from amateurs to professional chefs. All you need is an openness and willing to learn.

Is there parking available at The Bertinet Kitchen? No, The Bertinet Kitchen does not have its own parking on-site. The Charlotte Street long-stay car park is located a short walk from the school, and other local car parks are available. Please visit the BANES website for more information.

Does The Bertinet Kitchen have a cloakroom available? Yes, The Bertinet Kitchen does have a cloakroom space available for visitor use to put belongings while attending a class.

Are gift vouchers for The Bertinet Kitchen Cookery School available for purchase? Yes, both class gift vouchers and monetary amount gift vouchers can be purchased through The Bertinet Kitchen website.

Do I need to bring my own apron to The Bertinet Kitchen Cookery School? No, when attending a class at The Bertinet Kitchen all equipment including an apron will be provided for you. You may need to bring your own Tupperware to take your creations home, depending on the class, which you’ll be informed about before the class date.