Leiths School of Food and Wine in London has an international reputation as a first class training school for chefs. Students come from all over the world to enjoy the dedicated teaching in a friendly atmosphere. The guiding principle is to impart enthusiasm for the trade and instil a lasting love of good food and wine. This is not restricted to career cooks - many enthusiastic amateurs join us in our varied programme of courses and our diverse range of special events.
The teachers run a disciplined, hard-working establishment which is exciting and fun to attend. Students are encouraged to discuss all aspects of the School with the staff.
The teaching staff are trained professionals, with experience in the real world of restaurants and commercial catering. In addition, renowned chefs, cookery writers and Masters of Wine regularly demonstrate or lecture at the School.
Leiths School has close links with some of the country’s top restaurants, which provide the students with work experience, and many successful graduates go on to work for them. Leiths List is the School’s successful employment agency which also provides career advice for students, and Leiths Food Solutions is aimed at helping chefs, owners and operators to grow their businesses.
Holiday and part time courses provide scope for interested amateurs of all ages and specialist courses are taken by professional and enthusiastic home cooks alike. Tailored programmes or demonstrations are devised for companies or groups and private cookery lessons are also available.
Leiths School’s many cookery books, published by Bloomsbury, are produced at the School, with recipes devised, tested and tasted by the teachers. The curriculum and course work are taken from Leiths Cookery Bible and Leiths Techniques Bible. Recipes are constantly being developed at the School and are introduced into the curriculum throughout the year.
Leiths School of Food and Wine is an independent company owned by Sir Christopher Bland.
Recognised as efficient by the British Accreditation Council for Further and Higher Education
The Professional Training Network brings together a group of colleges for excellence in their particular field
Leiths School of Food and Wine Limited
16-20 Wendell Road
London
W12 9RT
Telephone: +44 (0)20 8749 6400
Fax: +44 (0)20 8746 9495
Email: info@leiths.com
Company number: 02922474
Registered address as above
Website design and application by Caz Limited
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Bookings received before 1 April will be at the prices indicated; any bookings received after that date will be subject to a fees increase. E&OE
2008 © Leiths School of Food and Wine
Careers and Awards
The School provides a Diploma course and four Certificate courses, all with examinations. These qualifications are well recognised in the catering business: career opportunities include hotels, catering companies and restaurants, chalet cooking, freelance work, television, recipe writing, food styling or working in the wine trade.
The School holds career seminars and offers lectures on insurance, VAT, business plans, public relations, marketing, health and safety legislation and taxation. Placements in London restaurants and catering operations can be arranged for full-time students.
Students completing the Leiths Diploma Course are entered for the prestigious Laurent-Perrier and Louis Latour awards. The prizes are generous, enjoyable and educational.
Students can choose to enter the Brown Brothers Award for Innovation and The BBC Good Food Magazine offers two 6-month trainee schemes to the winners of the BBC Good Food Leiths Award.
Our Team
Managing Director Camilla Schneideman was appointed in June 2008. She is a graduate of Leiths School of Food and Wine and has worked in restaurants here and abroad and in several cookery schools. Camilla is responsible for the overall management of the school.
Principal Claire Macdonald is a graduate of Leiths School of Food and Wine. Claire has worked in restaurants and as a freelance cook. She is responsible for the curriculum of the courses and for the welfare of the students.
Vice Principal Alison Cavaliero is responsible for the students’ future careers. She runs our employment agency Leiths List and runs the schools franchise scheme.
Administrator Viv Pidgeon is in charge of all the day-to-day administration. She also arranges all the corporate hospitality events and helps run the schools franchise scheme.
Financial Controller Charlotte Rouse is responsible for the day-to-day finances of the company.
Caroline Waldegrave is a Director of Leiths School of Food and Wine Ltd and was Principal of the School from 1975 to 2002. She is a former member of the Health Education Authority and past Chairman of the Guild of Food Writers. She was awarded an OBE in 1999.
Sir Christopher Bland is Chairman of Leiths School of Food and Wine Ltd and bought the company with Caroline Waldegrave in 1994. He is a former Chairman of the BBC and BT plc, and is Chairman of the Royal Shakespeare Company and Canongate Books.
Testimonials from Past Students
"The staff have been fantastic. They feel like part of a family - my colleagues are friends for life."
"You run a fabulous operation here. You manage to balance discipline with making it fun to learn. You are doing a great job. It must be impossible to please such a diverse group of people."
"Really enjoyed my time at Leiths and feel that without the knowledge and skills I have learnt I wouldn't have felt confident enough to go to Rick Stein's for work experience and accept a full time job with him. Thank you very much for a thoroughly enjoyable year."
"Thank you, it's a brilliant course and incredible what you achieve in 9 months."
"This has been a fabulously rewarding time. I've learnt a vast amount - time to get out there and do it!"
"[Demonstrations are]... excellent, informative, teachers give more than 100%."