Experience a hands-on cooking class near Dijon with seasoned chef, learn French cuisine techniques, savour & bring home your creations—ideal cooking class in France.
Nestled at the gateway to Burgundy, the cooking workshop offered by Avec ou Sans Toque invites travellers and gourmets to immerse themselves in French gastronomy, learn to cook with purpose and savour their own creations. This culinary experience in France is designed for those who seek more than a meal—they wish to engage in French cooking lessons infused with local terroir, seasonal produce and professional insight. Over a 2½ hour to 3½ hour format, participants don aprons in a warm, modern atelier near Dijon, follow a guided menu, apply techniques and depart with their dishes to enjoy later at home—an accessible expression of a broader cooking holiday mood. With expert instruction and convivial atmosphere, it becomes a memorable chapter in your journey to learn French cuisine.
Bullet-point summary
- City: Dijon (venue at Fenay, near Dijon)
- Region: Bourgogne-Franche-Comté (Côte-d’Or)
- Price: From approx. €63 for 2½ h (menu for 2 covers); €90 for 3½ h gastronomic menu for 2; €100 for 2-person couple menu 2 h.
- Duration of the class: 2½ hours (standard) or 3½ hours (gastronomic menu), additional formats available.
- Conditions and restrictions: Open to adult (and sometimes mixed age) participants; menus for two covers; thematic menus varying by season and ingredient; small groups (up to around 10 participants) in a friendly atelier setting.
- Provider: Avec ou Sans Toque (atelier near Dijon) – official site: avecousanstoque.fr
The Provider and Setting
The cooking class is delivered by Avec ou Sans Toque, based in Fenay (9 B rue du Moulin des Étangs, 21600 Fenay) just outside Dijon. Since 2007 the workshop has specialised in cooking and oenology classes in Burgundy, adapting to small groups, events and themed gourmet sessions. The environment is warm and modern, the emphasis clearly placed on technique, seasonal products and conviviality. The studio is well-equipped, participants enjoy full hands-on access, and the creator emphasises that each menu is adapted for home reproduction.
By situating this class near Dijon, the atelier harnesses the region’s gastronomic roots: the rich cooking tradition of Dijon and Burgundy, the connection with local produce and the aura of French cuisine at its most authentic. The venue is conveniently within easy reach of Dijon city centre and accessible as part of a culinary travel itinerary.
The Chef Leading the Class
The face behind the atelier is Stéphanie Sempol, founder and manager of Avec ou Sans Toque. She holds professional credentials in cooking, pastry and œnology, and has built her brand around transmitting technique, passion and local product integrity. Stéphanie’s background includes formal training (e.g., CFPPA Beaune) and significant experience in event-driven and small-group culinary instruction. Her style emphasises a blend of rigor and accessibility: participants are invited to execute recipes with professional guidance, learn the “gestes” of cooking and baking, and receive printed recipe sheets to reproduce at home. According to press coverage, her atelier is described as a “place where the gesture meets passion”.
Stéphanie’s skills span savory cooking, pastry and wine-pairing awareness. She ensures that each participant gains not just a recipe, but understanding of ingredient origin, the logic of flavour combinations and appropriate techniques for home kitchens. Her approach strongly supports those looking to learn French cuisine in a curated environment rather than simply watch a demonstration.
Course Format: What to Expect
When you join this cooking class near Dijon, you step into an atelier designed for hands-on instruction and communal learning. After arrival you are welcomed into the cooking space where the chef introduces the evening or day’s theme (for example: land & sea menu, red wine menu, world street-food theme). Then you don your apron and engage in the preparation of a multi-course menu (often one savoury dish and one dessert for the 2½-hour format; the 3½-hour “gastronomic” variant includes an entrée, main course and dessert). You divide into workstations, as guided by Stéphanie, and execute each element with her assistance: produce is pre-selected, steps are explained, then practiced.
During the session you learn essential techniques of French cooking: sautéing proteins, mastering sauces, timing vegetable accompaniments, and in the dessert segment pastry techniques like pâte à choux or layered entremets (depending on theme). You also receive insights into wine-food synergy and local product sourcing, enhancing your understanding of French cuisine beyond the recipe. At the end of the cooking phase you either take your freshly prepared dishes home to enjoy (as specified for the menu “to be eaten at home for two covers”) or, in some formats, share them at the atelier with fellow participants—depending on the theme. The printed recipe sheets ensure that your knowledge transfers to your own kitchen later. This blend of French cooking lessons, technique application and social learning makes the format a strong choice within a culinary experience in France context.
Why This Workshop Stands Apart
What elevates this class is the rare marriage of professional instruction, regional authenticity and an accessible format. For travellers seeking a cooking class in France but unable to commit to a full-day or multi-day course, this format offers quality, relevance and manageable scheduling. The use of local produce in the Burgundy region, combined with a chef who emphasizes technique and home reproduction, means you gain more than a demo—you gain skills. The setting fosters social exchange, learning and conviviality. Furthermore, the atelier’s range of themes (including street food, world cuisine, pâtisserie, and couples courses) allows flexibility and personalisation—important when designing a cooking holiday style itinerary.
For anyone keen to learn French cuisine within the broader narrative of French food culture, this workshop provides a meaningful experience: you prepare a full menu, learn hands-on, understand the “why” behind cooking decisions and depart with clear take-aways. In a region celebrated for its gastronomic heritage, it is a smart choice to integrate into a trip centred on taste, technique and travel.
A Memorable Finale
Embarking on this atelier with Avec ou Sans Toque is more than participating in a class: it is stepping into the world of Burgundy’s culinary tradition, under skilled instruction and with real hands-on execution. You leave with a sense of accomplishment, new techniques and recipes you can reproduce. Whether you are solo, with a partner, or as part of a travel group, this opportunity to engage in French cooking lessons within a regional stronghold of gastronomy offers unique added value. If you are planning to enrich your trip with a culinary experience in France, this workshop near Dijon stands out as a compelling and memorable component of your journey.
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