About
Vale House Kitchen is a bespoke country skills and cookery school situated in the village of Timsbury, eight miles southwest of Bath. Vale House offer a wide range of cookery and baking courses as well as a unique opportunity to acquire or hone your fishing, shooting, foraging, and butchery skills.
Courses cater to all levels from beginner to expert and are taught by the very best of the South West’s culinary professionals, including Steve Lamb, Kieran Lenihan and Pam Corbin. Numbers are limited to eight to ten participants per class to ensure an intimate, hands-on and inspiring experience.
Vale House Kitchen was conceived by Bod and Annie Griffiths in early 2011. Bod has been passionate about shooting and fishing since childhood, and spent his school holidays exploring the West Country. After working in London for 20 years and moving to Vale House, Bod wanted to find a way to combine his passion for people and business with his love of the countryside.
On returning from a fishing trip and enjoying a meal where everything on the plate was either from the local river or from their own veg garden, Bod and Annie knew they had found the ‘from field to fork’ philosophy that would soon evolve into Vale House Kitchen.
The school also offers private bookings for corporate and business groups and can cater for events such as book launches and photoshoots.
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Facilities
Establishment Features
- Accommodation nearby
- Experience level - advanced
- Experience level - beginner
- Experience level - intermediate
- Fully qualified instructors
- Lessons/courses available
- Open All Year
- Toilets
Parking & Transport
- Car parking
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Opening Times
| Open: (1 Jan 2025 - 31 Dec 2025) |
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Events
Saturday, 6th September 2025 - Saturday, 6th September 2025
Smoking and Curing Masterclass at Vale House KitchenTaught by smoking and preserving expert Steven Lamb, this Smoking and Curing Masterclass will equip you with all the skills you need to create delicious cured and smoked meat and fish in your own kitchen. These traditional methods not only preserve fresh ingredients but take them to a whole new…- more info
Saturday, 13th September 2025 - Saturday, 13th September 2025
Beginners Fly Fishing at Vale House KitchenFancy getting to grips with this fantastic outdoor sport? Involving an artificial 'fly' which is cast on a line, fly fishing often has a bit of a reputation as a tricky skill for beginners to acquire – which is why all of our courses take place under the expert guidance of our tutor Neil Keep, who…- more info
Sunday, 14th September 2025 - Sunday, 14th September 2025
Fish Cookery st Vale House KitchenFresh fish is a truly wonderful ingredient to work with in the kitchen, but can often be a little intimidating if you don't cook it regularly, with quite a few pitfalls to avoid. This Fish Cookery Course is designed to give you the confidence you need to whip up fabulous fish dishes, covering…- more info
Saturday, 20th September 2025 - Saturday, 20th September 2025
Sourdough Baking at Vale House KitchenSourdough has become wildly popular over the last few years, and it's not hard to see why – there's nothing quite like a freshly-baked sourdough loaf! Although the use of the sourdough 'starter' might seem a bit intimidating, on this Sourdough Baking course, we'll demystify the process and cover…- more info
Sunday, 28th September 2025 - Sunday, 28th September 2025
Introduction to Foraging at Vale House KitchenExplore the bounty of the countryside with this fascinating Introduction to Foraging Course. You'll gather and prepare your own wild ingredients, gaining knowledge, skills and experience from expert forager and landscape ecologist, Adrian Boots.- more info
Saturday, 4th October 2025 - Saturday, 4th October 2025
Introduction to Smoking and Curing at Vale House KitchenThis half day Introduction to Smoking and Curing Course is aimed at introducing you to the surprisingly straightforward techniques of smoking and dry curing. You can then use these skills at home to transform fresh ingredients into something seriously special.- more info
Sunday, 12th October 2025 - Sunday, 12th October 2025
Perfect Pasta with Chiara Tomasoni at Vale House KitchenJoin Vale House Kitchen for a day of Perfect Pasta with the incredible Chiara Tomasoni. They'll be celebrating some of our favourite VHK ingredients (including their own smoked and cured meats, locally foraged wild ingredients, and more) and one of Italy's best inventions!- more info
Saturday, 18th October 2025 - Saturday, 18th October 2025
Introduction to Game Butchery and Cookery at Vale House KitchenVale House Kitchen's Game Butchery & Cookery Courses are always one of their bestsellers, so thanks to popular demand, they bring you a half-day Introduction to Game Butchery and Cookery focusing on preparing feathered game (in particular pheasant and partridge) from butchers' block to table. If…- more info
Sunday, 9th November 2025 - Sunday, 9th November 2025
Game Butchery and Cookery Course at Vale House KitchenHere in Britain we have some incredible wild game, but so often we find that cooking with it can be an intimidating prospect even for an experienced home cook. This Game Butchery and Cookery Course aims to introduce you to the world of British game, covering everything from practical preparation…- more info
Saturday, 15th November 2025 - Saturday, 15th November 2025
Festive Baking at Vale House KitchenNothing gets us in the Christmas mood quite like a day of baking! On this special Festive Baking Course, you'll learn how to make sensational seasonal treats that all the family will enjoy, and acquire some good basic bread skills you'll be able to use all year round.- more info
Saturday, 22nd November 2025 - Saturday, 22nd November 2025
Lamb Butchery and Cookery course at Vale House KitchenJoin Vale House Kitchen for this fantastic hands on Lamb Butchery and Cookery Course. Anyone who loves to cook will find that studying butchery is fantastic for helping you to make the most out of your ingredients, upgrade your knife skills, get a little more creative in the kitchen and feel more…- more info
Sunday, 23rd November 2025 - Sunday, 23rd November 2025
Festive Smoking and Curing Masterclass at Vale House KitchenIn the run-up to the festive season, many curing and smoking recipes could bring a whole host of wonderful, traditional dishes to your table. If you want to go the extra mile with your seasonal meals, this practical Festive Smoking and Curing Masterclass will give you the confidence and know-how to…- more info
Sunday, 7th December 2025 - Sunday, 7th December 2025
Introduction to Smoking and Curing at Vale House KitchenThis half-day Introduction to Smoking and Curing Course is aimed at introducing you to the surprisingly straightforward techniques of smoking and dry curing. You can then use these skills at home to transform fresh ingredients into something seriously special.- more info
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