Since opening in 2019, The Grand Cookery School has welcomed everyone from experienced home cooks looking to develop their skills to complete beginners finding their feet in the kitchen. Now, with former Head Pastry Chef Devin Jones taking the helm, the cookery school in York’s The Grand Hotel is entering its next chapter.
The school focuses on making cooking enjoyable and accessible, with hands-on classes that give guests the chance to learn in an inclusive setting. “I think people enjoy the space so much because we help them approach food in a relaxed manner, creating a fun environment to learn but also just laughing and walking away feeling more confident when dealing with food,” says Devin. “We have space for everyone!”
Devin joined The Grand in 2022, becoming increasingly involved in the Cookery School before taking over as its Head. The move is the perfect way to combine his love of teaching and cooking, shaped by his childhood in South Africa.
“My passion for food began at home,” Devin enthuses. “My mother was a talented self-taught cook and baker who made every family gathering special, and her love of food inspired my own.” This led to Devin spending more than 17 years as a pastry chef for some of Cape Town’s leading hotels. “While pastry was my profession, cooking was always something I enjoyed sharing with family and friends, and I found real satisfaction in bringing people together around a meal.”
That enjoyment of bringing people together is something Devin now wants to bring into his new role. “For me, food is about creating experiences and memories,” he says. “My aim is for the school to feel welcoming, somewhere people can learn, enjoy themselves, and feel completely at home.”
Guests are welcomed with tea and coffee before getting kitted out and starting on the dishes, with ingredients weighed out beforehand and recipe cards on hand. Everything is taught in easy-to-understand steps, with Devin and the team offering support, answering questions, and “keeping the wine glasses full and the laughter loud!”
Devin has big plans for the school. “Our ambition is to make The Grand Cookery School one of the best in the UK,” he confirms, keen to reflect The Grand Hotel’s commitment to exceptional guest experiences. “We’re focused on building on the school’s success and creating something truly special while remaining approachable.”
One of the first new additions will be an Afternoon Tea class, drawing on his years of pastry experience and giving guests the chance to recreate elements inspired by The Grand’s award-winning offering. A Beef Wellington class will also join the programme, as Devin looks to broaden the range of experiences available. Working closely with Culinary Director Kevin Bonello and chefs from across The Grand, he also plans to draw on the different cuisines, dishes and techniques found throughout the hotel.
As the Cookery School grows, Devin is proud that its classes continue to deliver on what the guests want it to be. For him, the real measure of success isn’t simply what people manage to cook on the day, but what they take away from the experience. “The most rewarding part is seeing guests grow in confidence throughout a class and leave proud of what they’ve achieved,” he says. “We want everyone to leave feeling more confident, inspired and excited about cooking.”
