Berkshire

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-lowdown">THE LOWDOWN</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="2190" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/03/cookery-lab-IMG_3640.jpg" alt="the cookery lab aldermaston cookery classes near me cooking for kids" class="wp-image-77505" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/03/cookery-lab-IMG_3640.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/03/cookery-lab-IMG_3640-548x800.jpg 548w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/03/cookery-lab-IMG_3640-685x1000.jpg 685w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/03/cookery-lab-IMG_3640-274x400.jpg 274w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/03/cookery-lab-IMG_3640-768x1121.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/03/cookery-lab-IMG_3640-1052x1536.jpg 1052w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/03/cookery-lab-IMG_3640-1403x2048.jpg 1403w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



Newsflash! There&#8217;s a brand-new cookery school in town, and where newness comes knocking, Muddy is first in line. <a href="https://www.thecookerylab.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Cookery Lab</a> officially flung open its doors on the Berkshire/Hampshire border in Aldermaston last October. The culinary powerhouse steering this foodie ship? Sarah Biggs. And quite frankly, there&#8217;s few better qualified to lead the charge on the range of culinary workshops than Sarah &#8211; a Leiths-trained chef&nbsp;with experience in&nbsp;Michelin-starred restaurants. Oh, and did I mention? She&#8217;s a&nbsp;trained chemist too. No surprise then that there&#8217;s a distinct Lessons in Chemistry type scientific approach to cooking here. And it&#8217;s seriously fun too.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1136" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/03/cookery-lab-DSC_0936-2.jpg" alt="the cookery lab aldermaston cooking class for kids near me" class="wp-image-77503" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/03/cookery-lab-DSC_0936-2.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/03/cookery-lab-DSC_0936-2-800x606.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/03/cookery-lab-DSC_0936-2-1000x757.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/03/cookery-lab-DSC_0936-2-400x303.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/03/cookery-lab-DSC_0936-2-768x582.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



On the menu, you&#8217;ll find an array of workshops for both kids, teens, and adults. From chocolate making and baking to trying your hand at Thai, Japanese, and Italian-style dishes, the brand spanking new state-of-the-art kitchen is the place to learn something new. By combining food and science, budding chefs of all levels, whether total beginners or experienced pros, will learn not just recipes, but what truly makes a chef great.



The mod kitchen can accommodate groups of up to 20 for both scheduled classes and bespoke parties or corporate team-building workshops. If you&#8217;ve got a budding Gordon Ramsey in your midst, the school holiday classes for kids aged 8 – 16 are a fantastic way for them to flex their gastronomical muscles. Classes are made to be informative, exciting, and most importantly, fun. Getting to scoff the fruits of your labour afterwards, of course, is the cherry on top.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="2000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/03/cookery-lab-20241002_140808.jpg" alt="the cookery lab aldermaston" class="wp-image-77502" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/03/cookery-lab-20241002_140808.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/03/cookery-lab-20241002_140808-600x800.jpg 600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/03/cookery-lab-20241002_140808-750x1000.jpg 750w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/03/cookery-lab-20241002_140808-300x400.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/03/cookery-lab-20241002_140808-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/03/cookery-lab-20241002_140808-1152x1536.jpg 1152w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



Groups not your thing? Book in a bespoke private session with Sarah – whether you’re looking for a romantic soiree in the kitchen or hoping to hone a particular culinary skill for an upcoming event. Why not get the girls together for a&nbsp;Bake Off&nbsp;style competition, or get creative like you’re on a&nbsp;MasterChef&nbsp;invention test? The options are endless. The Cookery Lab may be a newbie on the culinary scene, but people are already starting to catch wind. A number of upcoming courses are already sold out, so if you want in, you&#8217;d better get to booking. Now pass us an apron and let’s get cracking.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-experience">THE EXPERIENCE</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1125" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-IMG_4154_VSCO.jpg" alt="the cookery lab aldermaston cooking school near me" class="wp-image-77802" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-IMG_4154_VSCO.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-IMG_4154_VSCO-800x600.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-IMG_4154_VSCO-1000x750.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-IMG_4154_VSCO-400x300.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-IMG_4154_VSCO-768x576.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



Today, I&#8217;d be trying my hand at the fabulous Easter Chocolate making workshop &#8211; in fact, the very first one for adults Sarah had run. Perfectly timed two weeks before Easter weekend, in the session we’d be learning how to temper chocolate, decorate and fill professional choccy moulds, as well as learn to make caramel too. All being well, by the end we’d be armed with a small chocolate easter egg, mini chocolate bars, and large loaded Easter egg half. And quite frankly, it beats racing down Tesco for your Cadbury’s alternative any day of the week.



Sarah warmly greeted us on arrival, and with the help of her lovely sister (and assistant for the night), set about getting everyone a hot drink to get going. The two made for something of a dream team throughout the workshop as they contended overseeing the chaos (and mess) of eight ladies attempting to master their temper (the chocolate kind that is), designs, and bring their creations to life. No mean feat.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1764" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-FullSizeRender_VSCO_VSCO.jpg" alt="the cookery lab aldermaston chocolate making near me" class="wp-image-77796" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-FullSizeRender_VSCO_VSCO.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-FullSizeRender_VSCO_VSCO-454x800.jpg 454w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-FullSizeRender_VSCO_VSCO-567x1000.jpg 567w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-FullSizeRender_VSCO_VSCO-227x400.jpg 227w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-FullSizeRender_VSCO_VSCO-768x1355.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-FullSizeRender_VSCO_VSCO-871x1536.jpg 871w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Sarah was an encyclopaedia of chocolate knowledge and could quite literally give Willy Wonka a run for his money. We got started by learning about the science behind the perfect slab of sweet stuff, what professional chocolatiers use, and how to temper chocolate to perfection. Sarah also spoke about her experience working as a pastry chef in a five-star London hotel and the mind-blowing amounts of treats she was tasked with preparing daily. We were certainly in safe hands at The Cookery Lab.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="2000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-IMG_4162-copy.jpg" alt="the cookery lab aldermaston" class="wp-image-77791" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-IMG_4162-copy.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-IMG_4162-copy-600x800.jpg 600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-IMG_4162-copy-750x1000.jpg 750w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-IMG_4162-copy-300x400.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-IMG_4162-copy-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-IMG_4162-copy-1152x1536.jpg 1152w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



Aprons on, we melted down balls of white chocolate to be used to decorate our bars. There was a rainbow assortment of colourings to add in, as well as paintbrushes in case you wanted to go at it Picasso-style. Once our designs were down (a splatter and some flowers for me), it was time to fill the moulds with whatever we fancied. Shortbread, dark chocolate, chilli, dried ginger, rice puffs, pistachios and raspberry. Sarah even whipped up a pistachio cream with crispy kataifi and tahini for us to make our very own viral Dubai chocolate, aka the sweet treat the world is going wild for right now. How could I say no to that?



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1662" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-IMG_4166_VSCO.jpg" alt="the cookery lab aldermaston baking classes near me" class="wp-image-77798" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-IMG_4166_VSCO.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-IMG_4166_VSCO-722x800.jpg 722w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-IMG_4166_VSCO-903x1000.jpg 903w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-IMG_4166_VSCO-361x400.jpg 361w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-IMG_4166_VSCO-768x851.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-IMG_4166_VSCO-1386x1536.jpg 1386w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



In the meantime, we gave making our own caramel a whirl. Now, if you’ve watched The Great British Bake Off you’ll know it can sometimes be a bit of a sticky task, and quickly images of burnt sugar and kitchen meltdowns sprung to mind. Nothing like that here. Sarah carefully guided us through the process, slowly stirring the sugar, adding our cream, and letting chemistry work its magic. 



At one point we were at the brink of disaster, but thankfully Sarah swooped in to save the day. We were left with a gorgeous golden-brown caramel to drench our chocolate creations in. We also used it to cover our large loaded eggs with, as well as even more toppings. Yum.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1409" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-FullSizeRender_VSCO-2.jpg" alt="cookery school near reading cooking classes near me" class="wp-image-77792" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-FullSizeRender_VSCO-2.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-FullSizeRender_VSCO-2-568x800.jpg 568w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-FullSizeRender_VSCO-2-710x1000.jpg 710w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-FullSizeRender_VSCO-2-284x400.jpg 284w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-FullSizeRender_VSCO-2-768x1082.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



As we waited for our chocolate eggs and bar to set in the fridge, naturally we were hankering for a sweet treat to tide us over. So, we were treated to some homemade cookies and hot chocolate which went down a just nicely. Overall, the class lasted around three and a half hours, a tad over the three hours we were scheduled for but just meant even more time to tinker with our masterpieces. Coffee and teas were available throughout.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1434" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-FullSizeRender_VSCO-3.jpg" alt="the cookery lab aldermaston " class="wp-image-77793" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-FullSizeRender_VSCO-3.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-FullSizeRender_VSCO-3-558x800.jpg 558w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-FullSizeRender_VSCO-3-697x1000.jpg 697w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-FullSizeRender_VSCO-3-279x400.jpg 279w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/04/cookery-lab-FullSizeRender_VSCO-3-768x1101.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



To finish, we packaged up our eggs in cellophane in case we wanted to gift them on (no chance). I can confirm, everything tasted deeeelicious. No shame when I say not a crumb made it to Easter. The class was brilliant fun, and Sarah was the perfect guide – never rushing us and creating a really lovely environment to ask questions, tap into our creative sides, and get one big sugar high with loved ones. Will I be back? Oh, yes I will.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-verdict">THE VERDICT</h2>



Good for: Foodies who like their days out with a big dollop of fun. Learning new skills, having a laugh, and getting to take home delicious goodies afterwards? It doesn&#8217;t get much better.



Not for: The savoury crowd. If you&#8217;re already too sweet, try one of The Cookery Lab&#8217;s other <a href="https://www.tickettailor.com/events/thecookerylab?_gl=1*1du0mkv*_ga*MTA5OTM1NjUwMi4xNzM4MTcxMDcz*_ga_C0QCZFWE8B*MTc0NDEwOTk1Mi44LjEuMTc0NDExMDMyNi4wLjAuMA.." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cooking courses</a> that have a more cuisine-based focus.



The damage: The chocolate making course was £65 per person. Kids and teen workshops sit around the £55pp mark.



Words by Ellie Ball



<a href="https://www.thecookerylab.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Cookery Lab</a>, 2 Minerva House, Calleva Park, RG7 8NA

Muddy tries chocolate making at The Cookery Lab in Aldermaston

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