One thing to do in Surrey which seems to fly under many people’s radar is that, Gordon Ramsay, yes, the internationally-credited chef and celebrity, has a cookery school right here in our county; and it’s open to all those willing to learn, and pay the price for a ticket. Known as the Gordon Ramsay Academy, and located in Woking town centre, it offers a vast array of culinary-related classes fit for everyone; whatever their skills may be.
The Scottish-born, multi-Michelin starred celebrity and TV personality is famous globally for his iconic television appearances and a dozen of highly-credited restaurants across the globe. His signature flagship restaurant, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, which is based not far from Surrey in Chelsea, boasts three Michelin stars, something it has impressively held since 2001.
While I’m sure the dining experience available at the Chelsea restaurant is exquisite, there is one thing that his self-titled diner cannot offer those who visit – the opportunity to learn how to cook like Gordon Ramsey himself.
But, if you know anything about Mr Ramsey’s past television shows, then you may expect the cooking classes to be full of swearing, shouting and stressful situations. Thankfully, this is not something you should expect to experience during your classes at the Woking cooking academy, especially as the man himself is sadly unlikely to make an appearance.
TripAdvisor reviewers from just recently earlier this January, described the chefs and staff who led their classes as “great” saying their experience was “just the right mix of casual chatting with the group and instructional guidance on how to achieve the best results.”
In autumn 2021, the Academy was launched in the former Tante Marie premises in Commercial Way. The Gordon Ramsay tutelage experience offers a peaceful, fun and relaxed environment to learn in for those of all ages and abilities. All week, there is a wide range of adult, child and online classes available which can last for a full day, half days and just for evenings.
Just some examples of the foods you can learn to cook exactly the way Gordon would do them are his acclaimed beef wellington, a classic French menu, middle eastern street foods, Spanish tapas, fish and seafoods, pasta ‘from scratch’ and many more.
SurreyLive senior reporter Eleanor Fleming did the Bao Masterclass at the Gordon Ramsay Academy in Woking. The final result.
(Image: Eleanor Fleming)
Tickets for full day classes generally cost around upwards of £200, with half day tickets costing around £100, and tickets for evening and junior classes being around £50 or more. This may seem pricey, however one reviewer from earlier in January argued: “The cost was on the expensive side, BUT, it was absolutely worth the money per person.”
But, you can not only improve your cooking at the Gordon Ramsey Academy, the Wine and Spirit Educational Trust (WSET) recently announced that they will be teaming up with the academy to offer classes for its level one and two awards in wines, with level three ‘on the horizon’ for later this year.
From now, wine courses will be proudly led by Gordon Ramsay Restaurants’ Group Wine Education team members and certified WSET educators twin brothers Augusto and Alberto Gherardi, who are both ranked in the UK Top 100 Sommeliers.
According to WSET, both level 1 and 2 courses are appropriate for those aiming for a professional career in the drinks industry, but also wine enthusiasts who are looking to deepen their knowledge in the craft. The first WSET level one class will take place on January 31, with tickets priced at £185, and the first level two class starts on March 26, costing you £485 to get involved.
Take of India is a half day cookery class at Gordon Ramsay Academy
(Image: Laura Nightingale)
Clearly, TripAdvisor reviewers who visited the Gordon Ramsey Academy have had some very positive experiences; as out of 202 reviews, the academy has a five star out of five rating.
A reviewer from January 2025, who took part in the ‘Taste of East Asia’ class, described their experience as “incredible”, saying: “Sue the chef was unreal, great laugh and made us feel at ease throughout. Yummy food. Would recommend highly.”
Another reviewer from just this month called their time at the Woking academy an “unbelievable experience”. Going onto explain that “I cannot recommend this experience enough. The cost was on the expensive side, BUT, it was absolutely worth the money per person, given we left with 4 desserts per person, had a great lunch and had an uber-talented professional chef teach us for 5 hours.”
How to book a class at the Gordon Ramsay Academy