
“Jane Averill, a graduate in agriculture,
talented cook and keen gardener, runs the house with her husband
William. Her approach to cooking is instinctive and holistic. This
is a cookery course fired by a new philosophy.” Country
Life
“I have learned more in four weeks than I
did in five years at school – probably due to the fact that
I enjoyed the Grange! It has changed my life.” Henry
Cheape
“Unforgettable and informative, fun but educational.” Toby
Heathcoat Amory
“You came away with tremendous confidence,
no recipe is too daunting - you are able to tackle things you never
thought you’d be able to, and they are a tremendous success.” BBC
Holiday Programme
"I've had the best month of my life." Amelia
Earl
"The Grange tuition is so simple and so skillful
that they shed light even into my dark soul. Value for money they
call it, and so it is." Good Housekeeping
"Enjoy hands on cooking of garden produce
as well as accommodation in a pristine house and cottage set in 20
acres of farmland." Country Living
" Jane & William Averill run this most
hands-on of residential cookery schools in a seventeenth century
farmhouse, idyllically set in a quiet Somerset valley." Harpers & Queen
"I had a wonderfull, productive month at The
Grange. We made a huge variety of dishes ranging from the most humble
of potato cakes to scarily expensive things. Along the way we were
taught to prepare meat, fish and game, to make Middle Eastern and
Mediterranean food and to recognise good quality ingredients." The
Times
"I never thought a course could be so much
fun, whilst learning on such a steep curve. The life experience has
been invaluable on a myriad of levels." Phoebe
Huestis
"I have learned a tremendous amount in an
atmosphere that could not be surpassed in any way. The Grange is
spectacular." Georgie Craggs
"I was stunned by the excellence of every
aspect of the week. I thought every member of staff without exception
was terrific. This included the splendid expertise of Diana, Maura
and Sarah plus every other worker I came into contact with, who I
found to be helpful, eager to please, friendly, and, in whatever
they were doing, an expert willing to share their knowledge and experience.
The accommodation was delightful, the kitchens were beautifully equipped,
and I was bowled over by the generosity of our hosts." Pat
Silver
“I’ve been working at The Grange for
almost 15 years and in that time I’ve seen it grow and flourish
without ever really changing. It’s a unique place in my experience – a ‘cookery
school’ of course, but that doesn’t adequately describe
its mission. What happens here is much more than cooking. There’s
a magic; an alchemy happening, which comes from Jane’s vision
which she’s never lost or wavered from despite the constant
expansion and improving. She has a crystal clear idea of how everyone
should be – staff and students alike. First and foremost its
fun – we teach and cook with enthusiasm, good humour and love.
We have a fabulous team of staff and we’ve hardly ever had
anyone leave. Here, it’s like joining a great gang of friends
who all share the same passions – people and food. We’re
all inveterate talkers, very sociable and we love looking after our
students.
We looked after one student so well that he didn’t
want to leave, so he married Jane. Will has proved to be the perfect
partner to Jane, bringing new energy and ideas to The Grange. He’s
a very creative person who really knows and enjoys his food and cooking.
Along with this, he has tremendous practical skill and has had a
huge influence on improving our kitchen design and efficiency. He’s
a perfectionist and it shows.
Jane and Will have a real connection with everyone
who works here: knowing all of us and what’s going on in our
lives. The Grange is a part of all of us and we are all very proud
of it. Did I say this was work?” Maura
Dillon Malone
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