A CAKE making course with a star of the Great British Bake-Off and tips on how to make the perfect pizza are among the highlights of a new series of cookery events at a top Hampshire hotel.

Staff at Season Cookery School at Lainston House get under way with A Beginners Guide to Cooking and Knife Skills on Sunday. Join chef Sylvain Gachot for a step-by-step guide to chopping, slicing and dicing. Put your skills to the test as you make minestrone soup and chicken stir fry and enjoy lunch as you tuck in with your classmates and enjoy a glass of wine.

Sylvain also heads up a risotto masterclass on Friday May 10. Learn how to master a dish that will then be yours to enjoy with a glass of wine for dinner in Lainston House’s converted Well House.

The following day it’s all about Italian food in Bella Cucina. There’s nothing fussy or fancy about Italian cooking. There’s just great food and lots of it. Join executive chef Paul Bray on a full day course, learn the secrets to some signature dishes and enjoy the fruits of your labour with a glass of wine for lunch. On the menu is aubergine parmigiana, salami and caramelised pear arancini, lemon ricotta, tomato and basil bruschetta and wild mushroom, prosciutto and tarragon risotto.

Great British Bake-Off star Jon Jenkins will be at Season Cookery School for a full day of cake-making with a focus on chocolate on Saturday May 18. Make a four-layer chocolate sponge cake, Swiss meringue buttercream, chocolate ganache and chocolate decorations including chocolate shards.

It’s an afternoon of pizza perfection on Sunday, May 19. Throw away the takeaway menu and learn how to make your own pizza from scratch including savoury dough, tomato sauce and sweet pizza. The masterclass is with Lainston House chef Sylvain Gachot.

Sit back and watch a Japanese food demonstration on Thursday, May 23, with Sylvain who will be cooking Sushi–Maki, Wakame Salad and Miso Soup.

Enjoy plenty of tastings and a glass of champagne as you learn the tricks of the trade.

Sylvain is back in action in the Art of French Cooking on Saturday, May 25. Enjoy a full day learning to make classic French dishes including soupe a l’oignon, boeuf bourguignon, gratin dauphinoise, madeleine and raspberry souffle. The course includes lunch with your classmates and a glass of wine plus refreshments.

The exclusive cookery school l is located in a beautiful converted well house within the grounds with state-of-the-art facilities, a modern dining space and kitchen garden.

To book, call 01962 797851 or visit exclusive.co.uk/cookery-school