About
About
Welcome to Leeds Cookery School.
Leeds Cookery School is a cookery school with a conscience. We‘re proud to be a social enterprise agency for the Leeds based charity Zest. Our venues offer professional and award winning:
Fun foodie experiences
Corporate away days
Private kitchen hire
Training programmes
Market research and product development
Food education in schools
We're working with our charity, Zest, to use food to build health, wealth, and social change in Leeds. Our table brings people together to learn, cook, eat, and grow.
Who we are
We're all about good food, good fun and giving back to our community.
At Leeds Cookery School, we’re passionate about food. Step
into one of our two state-of-the-art-kitchens, one nestled in a beautifully restored vintage Fire Station, the other inside Europe’s largest indoor market.
There, you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to cooking - from vibrant curries to sushi making, patisserie to Mexican street food - if it’s delicious, we’re making it!
Plus, we're proud to be partnered with our charity, Zest. They use food to build health, wealth, and social change in Leeds. Our table brings people together to learn, cook, eat & grow. Creating social & environmental change that lasts.
Our Ingredients
Where possible, our ingredients are sourced ethically and locally. We are proud to source our fish & seafood from Leeds Kirkgate Market and use Sykes House Farm butchers from Wetherby. We endeavour to minimise plastic usage and source recycled sundry products where available. We run seasonal classes to maximise the use of fresh local ingredients and we're happy to provide alternatives within the class to suit any dietary or ethical requirements. We order only what we need and if there is any food waste we compost it.
Old Fire Station at Gipton
In 2014, the West Yorkshire Fire Service decommissioned its Gipton fire station. From the ashes and with thanks to the Leeds Community Foundation and the late Jimi Heselden, the space was renovated into a Community and Enterprise hub. Leeds Cookery School first opened its doors at The Old Fire Station in September of 2017 and has been delivering mouth watering dishes and happy customers ever since! Let’s face it, if you set off a smoke alarm at one of our workshops, you're in the right place! This beautiful and practical setting has provided many enjoyable days out for corporate activities, private parties and kitchen hires. We really do have something for everyone. Parking is free and ample. There are even several EV charging points! We are also fully licensed if you would rather get a taxi.
Kirkgate Market
Launched in January 2024, our purpose built kitchen is designed with community at its very core. This new venue is made in partnership with charity and our stakeholder Zest. Zest’s projects will also run from the kitchen, bringing people together through food. Located in the heritage part of Leeds Kirkgate market, we are surrounded by wonderfully fresh and diverse ingredients. All you need to do is come along and put it all together. Much like our venue in Gipton, we also offer corporate away days as well as offering up the space to hire for product launches, training and focus groups.
Awards
