Cooks, The Carlton School of Food has officially launched to the public with a host of well known chefs on hand to meet guests in the heart of the School,  the original kitchens of the historic Carlton Towers, Yorkshire.

Carlton Towers is the ancestral home of the Duke of Norfolk and is currently home to Lord and Lady Gerald Fitzalan Howard. The delighted owners announced Cooks open at the well attended ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday 1st May 2014.

Lord and Lady Gerald Fitzalan Howard commented:

“It's so exciting to finally realise our dream of launching a School of Food in our home. This is just the first step in the discovery of food at Carlton Towers”

Hailed as 'a place to discover food' - The School of Food invites guests to step back in time to discover the art of traditional cooking, yet also focuses on foods of the future, with a variety of classes for guests of all ages and abilities.

Courses to look forward to include; 'Fall in love with Chocolate' with artisan chocolatier, Fiona Sciolti; 'Wild Cooking' with author and wild cooking expert Josh Sutton, aka, The Guyrope Gourmet; 'Back to Basics with Fish' taught by Good Food Guide Award winner and Carlton Executive Chef, Richard Walton-Allen and 'Perfect the Macaron' with Development Director of Cook's and highly respected food writer, Elaine Lemm.

Future classes will include food writing, food photography and food painting.

Cooks classes are available for up to 12 guests and prices for non-residential classes start from £70 for half day courses and from £170 for full day courses. Evening and weekend courses will be introduced later in the year. Residential packages will be available at special rates for guests attending The Carlton School of Food. Guests can stay in the beautiful gothic stately home and discover the history of food in the historic surroundings.

The décor of Cooks combines the historic features and ambience of the original kitchen, whilst introducing all the latest modern technology. 

Features such as the magnificent ranges and the butler's pantry have been regenerated, the pastry room has been renovated for future classes and new oak furniture has been designed by local craftswoman Karan Main from The Main Pine Furniture Company, Yorkshire.

Guests can also step back in time and see authentic pieces of history - including the original 'Carlton Hall Table' built in circa 1614 - which has remained in the house since it was built.

For media enquiries, high-res images and press trip opportunities, please contact Cath Couzens, Perception Sales & Marketing Ltd.

T: 0845 293 2552 E: pr3@perception-uk.com

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Notes to Editors:-

Cooks - The Carlton School of Food opened to the public on May 1st 2014.

Carlton Towers is a Grade I listed estate based in the heart of the Yorkshire countryside, owned by Lord and Lady Gerald Fitzalan Howard. The School of Food is situated in the original kitchens of Carlton Towers.

There has been a house on the Carlton estate since Domesday, but none of that house remains today. Areas of the house now standing began construction in 1614, and remnants of Jacobean design and architecture are still visible. The transformation from Carlton Hall into Carlton Towers took place from 1871 to 1877 and is the legacy of Henry 9th Lord Beaumont.

The striking stately home is set in 250 acres of stunning private parkland in the village of Carlton, Yorkshire.

Carlton Towers is located 12 minutes drive from Selby (direct trains from London, 1 hour 50 minutes) and a 10 minute drive from the M62 and M1 motorways, with close links to York and Leeds.