Swinton Cookery School, Yorkshire

Swinton Cookery School is a relaxed, open demonstration kitchen housed in a converted Georgian stable wing adjacent to Swinton Park Hotel. Excellent for the preparation and skilful handling of great food and fine wine.

Location

Swinton Cookery School is nestled within the magnificent grounds of the Swinton Estate, near the charming market town of Masham in North Yorkshire.
Owned by the Cunliffe-Lister family since the 1880s, the Estate spans 20,000 acres of breathtaking countryside on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales — the ancestral seat of the Earl of Swinton and a haven of heritage, hospitality, and natural beauty.

Renowned for making the most of local game and fresh produce. Using fruit, vegetables and herbs from its four-acre walled garden, alongside venison, rabbit and smoked trout from the Swinton Estate, you’ll learn how to cook sustainably through each season. The Location Swinton Cookery School is located within Swinton Park Estate in Ripon, North Yorkshire. The school sits adjacent to the magnificent Swinton Park Hotel – a luxury Grade II listed family owned estate, home to Earl and Countess of Swinton – it’s easy to combine your course with a well-deserved overnight break, if you choose, and a plethora of outdoor pursuits including foraging, fishing, and even staying at their Swinton Bivouac glamping site with luxury tree lodges and meadow yurts!

The Cookery School

Set in a beautifully converted Georgian stable wing beside Swinton Park Hotel, the Cookery School offers a relaxed and inspiring setting where creativity meets culinary craft.
Its open-plan demonstration kitchen and four-acre walled garden provide the perfect environment to explore fine food and wine, with much of the produce — from herbs and vegetables to venison, rabbit, and game — sourced directly from the Estate.
Courses are hands-on, ingredient-led, and delivered by the resident master chef, encouraging participants of all skill levels to cook with confidence, seasonally and sustainably.

Top 5 Signature Courses

• Estate to Plate – Cook with ingredients grown, reared and foraged across the Swinton Estate.
• Fish & Seafood Masterclass – Explore the best of Britain’s coastal flavours, from filleting to plating.
• Artisan Breadmaking – Perfect your loaves and learn the science behind the bake.
• French Brasserie – Classic French cookery with Yorkshire flair.
• Proper Pub Grub – A modern take on hearty British favourites using seasonal produce.

Chef’s Table by Josh Barnes

An unforgettable dining experience at the heart of the Swinton Estate.
With over a decade in some of the UK’s finest Michelin-accredited kitchens, Chef Josh Barnes brings an exclusive culinary journey to life at the Chef’s Table — combining refined technique, local provenance, and creative flair.
Guests are seated in the Cookery School for an intimate, behind-the-scenes tasting experience, featuring an eight-course evening menu or a five-course Saturday lunch, both crafted before your eyes and paired with exceptional seasonal aperitifs.
Proudly featured in the Michelin Guide, this immersive fine-dining encounter captures the very essence of Swinton’s food philosophy — fresh, local, and unforgettable.

PURCHASE A SWINTON ‘ESTATE TO PLATE’ COOKERY EXPERIENCE HERE

The Cookery School was awarded as a ‘Centre of Excellence’ by ICSA cookery school inspectors last year.