Click to watch video of our culinary programs highlighted on "Wheel of Fortune"

Discover your inner chef in Cook Academy.

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Our classes offer a low-pressure, hands-on culinary experience where you can enjoy learning new techniques or honing the skills you already have. You'll work alongside one of our chefs as you prepare a delicious meal using local Vermont ingredients. Classes generally include a three- or four-course meal paired with a glass of wine. Fees do not include sales tax or gratuity.

We believe that too many cooks can spoil the broth so we limit class size. Our Chef's Kitchen classroom is an intimate space for up to eight. The JK Adams classroom has space for 12 or even more; JK Adams, a Vermont maker of fine wooden gourmet housewares, outfitted the space.

Click here for a full listing of our Cook Academy classes.

Camp Cook: Our classes for budding chefs are designed for children 8-years-old and up. Some classes run for only two hours. The all-day and week-long programs include activities outside of the kitchen including swimming, gardening, and farm visits.

Our Faculty:
Chef Christine Frost
Chef Frost studied culinary arts at the esteemed Le Cordon Bleu in London before returning to her native Vermont. She honed her craft in a number of local hotspots, including The Kitchen Table in Richmond, and at Shelburne Farms. Chef Frost thrives on infusing fresh, local ingredients into her creations and is pleased to be able to share her knowledge with guests at Vermont's Culinary Resort.

Chef Laurence Wallace
Chef Wallace is a graduate of the esteemed Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. Following graduation, he plied his culinary skills at such nationally-recognized establishments as The Petroleum Club in Texas and La Vielle Maison in Boca Raton, Florida. Chef Wallace is pleased to now be able to give guests a front-row seat to 'his kitchen' as a Chef Instructor in Cook Academy, where he enjoys teaching about The Essex's bounty of fresh, locally-sourced ingredients.

Chef Shawn Calley
A graduate of the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute of America, Chef Calley is a native of Michigan who came to Vermont five years ago to further his love for locally-sourced, European-inspired cuisine. The former owner of Vermont's renowned Hearth and Candle Restaurant, Chef Calley focuses on blending the ingredients from The Essex's own gardens into his own culinary creations.