Top foodie experiences, from sausage making workshops to food festivals, for groups to tuck into.
UK Sausage Week runs from 29th October until 4th November and to celebrate we thought we’d round up some great foodie experiences that groups can take part in.
Food making classes
In true UK Sausage Week style, you could take part in a sausage making workshop with your friends. Learning how to make these pork delights can be both educational and fun. The best place to look is butcher shops and farms. Coddy’s Farm in Holmfirth runs sausage making workshops for groups, as does Parsonage Farm in Andover. The Hampstead Butcher & Providore in Hampstead, London, runs butchery classes for groups, which teach you about the different cuts of meat and how to prepare them.
If you’re interested in other types of cooking classes, The Jamie Oliver Cook School in Shepherd’s Bush, London, offers a variety of lessons which can be booked for up to 50 people at a time. Lessons can cover a range of dishes from Mexican Street Food, to a Thai Dinner Feast, to Vietnamese Street Food. If you’re heading to Padstow in Cornwall with your members, the Rick Stein’s Cookery School offers special group sessions ranging from one dish classes to two-day courses.
Food & drink festivals
A food festival is a great way to enjoy the best tastes, and with plenty on the British calendar each year, there’s always something going on.
The Great British Beer Festival is a great event for groups who want to learn more about beers and taste a variety of different kinds. The West Dean Chilli Fiesta will include workshops, stalls and demonstrations sure to tickle your taste buds. The Big Feastival will feature chef demonstrations, foodie stands and a cookery school. All three of these festivals are taking place next August.
Learn about the history of food
Head to Hampton Court Palace in London to experience what Henry VIII’s kitchen would have been like. Said to be the largest kitchens of Tudor England, it would have included 200 cooks, sergeants, grooms and pages, who would work each day to produce more than 800 meals for the king’s household. The kitchens are open daily and groups are welcome when visiting the Palace.
Opening in May 2019 at the V&A in London is a new exhibition titled Food. This exhibition will explore the food system and the process food goes through to get from farm to fork.
Pictured: The Faulty Towers Dining Experience.
Quirky dining experiences
If you’re looking to give your group a dining experience they won’t soon forget, you’re in luck. With more and more themed dining experiences opening, there’s something out there for everyone.
If you’re a fan of the musical Mamma Mia! and ABBA, then you’ll want to book Mamma Mia! The Party which will be available at The O2 Arena from late spring 2019. During the experience, groups can enjoy fine dining whilst a musical takes place around them, making audiences feel right in the middle of the action.
You can also enjoy an Only Fools and Horses dining experience and Faulty Towers experience where as you eat, the characters from the much-loved shows are brought to life with actors, with your group acting as part of the comedy show.
Looking for a food or drink themed cruise? Take a read of our article on some of the best food experiences whilst cruising.
Lead image: Rick Stein’s Cookery School (photo credit: James Ram)
