Join a 3-hour French cooking class in Provence with Michelin star Chef Xavier Mathieu. Learn Provençal cuisine, market techniques and dine your creation.
In the heart of the Luberon, nestled between the ochre cliffs of Roussillon and the perched village of Gordes, lies the Relais & Châteaux Le Phébus & Spa, where one of Provence’s most refined culinary experiences in France takes shape. Here, under the direction of Michelin-starred Chef Xavier Mathieu, guests are invited to participate in an immersive French cooking lesson—a blend of terroir, technique, and convivial discovery. Over three hours, amateurs and gastronomes alike explore traditional and creative French gastronomy in a real professional kitchen. From Provençal soups and vegetable cycles to refined desserts, participants master key techniques, share stories with the chef, and ultimately savor the fruits of their labor. Ideal for travelers seeking cooking holidays, food lovers craving a hands-on culinary experience in France, or anyone wishing to learn French cuisine in an intimate, expert-led setting, this workshop is both educational and a lasting memory.
Quick Facts Summary
- City: Joucas, near Gordes (Luberon)
- Region: Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur
- Price: ~ €135 per person (collective 3-hour class)
- Duration of class: ~ 3 hours (afternoon)
- Conditions & restrictions: typically groups of 5 to 10 (max ~10–15); recommended age 16+; dietary constraints accepted if notified; language support (English) available
- Provider: Le Phébus & Spa / Chef Xavier Mathieu
The Host: Le Phébus & Spa and Its Culinary Identity
The cooking class is offered under the auspices of Le Phébus & Spa, a luxury Relais & Châteaux property located in Joucas, between Gordes and Roussillon. The gastronomic restaurant La Table de Xavier Mathieu, housed within the hotel, anchors the culinary program, including French cooking lessons and gourmet dining. On the official Le Phébus site, the cooking class offering is described as an afternoon workshop of three hours with recipes selected by Chef Mathieu, culminating in tasting and convivial sharing. The program is available in both collective and private formats.
In addition, regional tourism platforms present the activity under “Cooking Class with Xavier Mathieu,” specifying group sizes from 5 to 15, and the possibility to continue with dinner. ([Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Tourisme][2]) This confirms the class’s dual role as a gastronomic experience in France and a hands-on workshop in French cuisine.
Chef Profile: Xavier Mathieu
Chef Xavier Mathieu is a native of Provence whose career bridges the traditions of his terroir and refined gastronomic ambition. He currently leads the culinary vision at La Table de Xavier Mathieu within Le Phébus & Spa, where his signature style marries Provençal touches with creative technique and seasonal finesse.
His restaurant is awarded one Michelin star, and his cooking reflects a deep respect for the natural palette of Provence—herbs, olive oil, vegetables, sunlit aromas—yet never falls into mere rustic tropes. Rather, he lifts classic regional recipes into elevated plates infused with balance, contrast, and modern precision.
Before anchoring himself in the Luberon, Xavier Mathieu refined his craft by collaborating with mentors and in top kitchens, absorbing both classical technique and local knowledge. At his workshop, he demonstrates a calm pedagogy: breaking down complex ideas (like barding, déglaçage, cuisson précise, etc.) into actionable steps, sharing organizational logic and plating finesse. His commitment to ingredient integrity, seasonal rhythms, and sensory logic is palpable in both his taught menus and his restaurant offerings.
Beyond accolades, testimonials consistently mention Mathieu’s approachable teaching style, thoughtful explanations, respect for learners, and energy that keeps the class fluid yet anchored.
Detailed Course Format and Content
Participants convene in the kitchens of Le Phébus’s gastronomic restaurant at around 15:00 (3 pm), where Chef Mathieu introduces the day’s menu, often themed around Provençal cuisine. The afternoon spans roughly three hours, in groups of 5 to 10 (occasionally up to 15), to maintain interaction and individual guidance.
First, guests are welcomed with a brief orientation and discussion of ingredients, menu flow, and culinary philosophy. Chef Mathieu then delineates tasks: participants divide into stations (entrée, main, dessert) and begin hands-on preparation, with the chef moving between stations to demonstrate technique, suggest shortcuts, adjust seasoning, and correct execution. Techniques addressed typically include sautéeing, deglazing, braising, monder (peeling tomatoes), barding, infusions, precise cooking temperatures, reduction, plating, and balancing aromatic elements.
Participants interact with produce—sometimes ingredients are chosen from a local market (for extended variants)—making the link between farm to fork. The class is structured to give people real French cooking lessons rather than passive observation: each attendee frequently handles tasks, asks questions, tastes along the way, and refines their gesture under Mathieu’s supervision.
Once cooking concludes, everyone gathers in the dining space to enjoy the dishes they have prepared. Chef Mathieu may make final touches—sauces, garnishes, plating refinements—and then serves the shared table d’hôte meal, often accompanied by local wine or beverage pairing. A recipe booklet and diploma are handed out at the end, ensuring participants leave not only sated but empowered to replicate the menu at home.
What Sets This Culinary Experience Apart
This cooking class transcends typical lesson formats by delivering access to a Michelin-level chef, in a boutique group setting, with real kitchen infrastructure and high expectations. Learners are not relegated to spectator status—they cook, adapt, iterate, converse, and taste in real time.
The fact that the class takes place at Le Phébus & Spa adds a layer of immersive atmosphere: a luxury setting within Provence’s heart, where the ambiance, light, gardens, and architecture echo the culinary identity. The synergy between the hotel, spa, garden, and kitchen contributes to a holistic gastronomic escape.
Chef Mathieu’s dedication to seasonality, regional character, and ingredient integrity ensures that dishes resonate with provenance (e.g. roasted vegetables, fresh herbs, olive oil, local produce) but are elevated by refined techniques and plating elegance. Thus, participants experience both authenticity and sophistication.
Moreover, holding the class in a real working gastronomic restaurant (not a pseudo “studio kitchen”) gives participants exposure to working routines, organization, mise en place standards, and professional tools, lending the experience genuine credibility.
Lastly, the reward is immediate: participants dine the very dishes they have labored over—this shared meal is both celebratory and instructive. With the recipe booklet and instructor commentary, the class offers not just a one-time event but a foundation for future cooking. For travelers seeking a meaningful cooking holiday or participants keen to learn French cuisine in provenance, this workshop is rare in combining technique, terroir, expert guidance, and conviviality into one seamless Provence immersion.
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