Culinary Journey in a Petit Château

The Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region is renowned for its amazing food and its many national and natural parks, as well as its ancient ruins, medieval fortresses, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Renaissance structures, and more! You will take a fabulous journey into the region’s past, and of course into its gastronomy with your hosts, Chef Denise and her partner Marlon.

Chef Denise began her professional career as an accountant. An education at Le Cordon Bleu in Chicago followed, and a passionate new chef emerged. She founded and owned her own cooking school and kitchen store near Chicago, where she taught thousands of students over its 12 years. During those years, her many visits to France convinced her it was a place she wanted to live – and cook! She loves to teach and is very eager to assist you in arranging your own culinary adventure.

She met her partner Marlon, an engineer and passionate “do it yourself-er,” by chance at a local Starbucks. They discovered their shared passion for France and French culture and started planning their great French adventure in 2019. They landed in picturesque Roanne, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, where they purchased and began restoring their beautiful “petit château.”

The abundance of Alpine pastures, orchards, and vineyards make this an ideal destination for our culinary travelers. Much of the local produce has protected status, including Bresse poultry, Ardèche chestnuts, Grenoble walnuts, Nyons olives, Puy lentils, and no fewer than 17 cheeses!  You can explore these ingredients and more during your French cooking classes with chef Denise. Lyon, the region’s capital and foodie mecca, is also at your doorstep, and an easy addition to your French culinary journey.

Our Hands-on Cooking Classes in Roanne

Our authentic cooking vacations in France include cooking classes with a professional chef in the restored kitchen of the château; sourcing of products from the chef’s garden and local markets; idyllic explorations of the town and its environs; beautiful accommodations in the château’s 3 renovated bedrooms; and much more! 

We offer two exclusive and distinct culinary journeys:

• 5-night “French Connection” – This culinary immersion is designed to deepen your connection with the heart of French cooking.  Through hands-on intensive lessons, you’ll explore the essential techniques, regional and seasonal dishes that define la cuisine Française – all reimagined with a modern, approachable touch.  From foundational skills to inspired plating, each day builds your confidence, creativity and understanding of what makes French food so enduringly beloved.  Whether you’re returning to the classics or discovering them for the first time, this experience invites you to cook with purpose, intuition and joy.
• 3-night “Repertoire Builder” – This focused, hands-on class is designed to expand your personal culinary repertoire with versatile dishes and timeless techniques that you’re return to again and again.  Over the course of the session, you’ll learn how to layer flavor, adapt core methods to seasonal ingredients, and bring greater intuition and ease to your cooking.  Think soups, salads, braising – each recipe we select is not just to teach, but to empower – helping you build confidence, skill and a refined sense of what works in the kitchen.  Perfect for curious cooks ready to grow beyond the basics and develop a more instinctive, expressive style.