April 7, 2021 7.30 am This story is over 34 months old

Former chef hopes to inspire next generation at new Lincolnshire Cookery School

The cookery school opens next week

A former chef and teacher will open Lincolnshire Cookery School in a village near Lincoln next week, offering classes for children and adults.

Lincolnshire Cookery School is located at Hill Farm in Snelland, north east Lincoln, and will open on Wednesday, April 14.

It will be run by Fiona Lucas, who trained as a chef at Selby College in her teens before working her way through the ranks. She later ran her own restaurant and public house, Castle Inn in Cawood, as well as an 18-pitch caravan site, whilst as a single parent with three children.

Fiona serving up quail scotch eggs. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Quail scotch eggs. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Fiona has also worked at the Acorn pupil referral unit as well as teaching at King Edward VI Academy in Spilsby. She taught in both Yorkshire and Lincolnshire before farming with her husband – Yorkshire farmer and father-of-three Mark Lucas.

Fiona met her husband Mark before they moved to Lincolnshire with the six children and rented a farm in Bishop Norton in 2010, which they still have.

In 2011 the couple bought Hill Farm in Snelland and have since spent around £160,000 converting the old 1845 barn into what is now Lincolnshire Cookery School.

The old barn before it was converted into Lincolnshire Cookery School.

Inside Lincolnshire Cookery School. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

There are various courses to choose from at Lincolnshire Cookery School, including It’s all about British Pork, Asia To Go, A Fishy Experience, Game Meat, beginners baking and cooking, and elective home education courses, as well as classes tailored to gluten free and dairy free cooking.

Courses are available for people of all different abilities aged eight and upwards – book online here.

The courses for children are split into different age groups and priced between £55 and £65. The adult classes range from £85 to £115 for four to six hour sessions, with both including a light lunch and refreshments.

The classes will initially be restricted due to the rule of six, but will increase to eight per class from June 21.

Fiona is excited to open her new cookery school and told The Lincolnite: “I was quite frustrated in the lack of time young people get to cook in school, so we decided to do what I have always wanted to do and convert our 1845 stables into Lincolnshire Cookery School.

“I am nervous and excited and looking forward to teaching adults and the next generation of child cooks.”

Classes will be available for children and adults at Lincolnshire Cookery School. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Fiona has also tried to involve local people and companies in creating her school, as well as in the classes and upcoming events.

Wolds Egg Company and Seven Districts Coffee provide the quail scotch eggs and coffee respectively. All the meat is sourced from The Lakeside Butcher in Welton.

Lincolnshire Cookery School owner Fiona Lucas has been working with local companies including Seven Districts Coffee. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

The seamstress from JS Teamwear in Newark put the logo on the aprons for Lincolnshire Cookery School. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Lincolnshire Cookery School will host a charity competition for The Great Stand Up To Cancer Bake Off for Cancer Research UK.

Fiona said the charity had to cancel £10 million worth of cancer research due to the coronavirus pandemic. She wants to do what she can to help the cause close to her heart, which has affected a number of her family and friends.

The competition will be run on July 3 and 4 for children and adults respectively. Laura Fussey of local business What Laura Bakes will be the guest judge for the children event. Stephen Hallam, Managing Director of Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe in Melton Mowbray, has previously made pies for the Queen and will judge the adult event.

Applications are still being accepted until June 1 and the winners will receive a free cookery day at the school – apply here and donate to the event here.

Lincolnshire Cookery School will be launching wine and cheese tasting sessions later this year in collaboration with Ben Shaw from Lincolnshire Wine School. Booking will be available from Wednesday, April 7.

Swedish chef Magnus Werdenskog, who has worked at Michelin star restaurants, including Aquavit in New York and SK Mat in Gothenburg, will host fine dining courses at the cookery school this summer.

Outside Lincolnshire Cookery School at Hill Farm Snelland, Lincoln. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

In addition, Fiona also streams a live cookalong on Lincolnshire Cookery School’s Facebook page every Monday at 2pm,

Fiona also works with the organisation Ladies in Pigs to help educate people and schools on how versatile pork is. She added: “It can be shocking how some children, and also adults, don’t know where food comes from and how it is produced so we educate them from field to plate.”