A Gastronomic House Party in France, with Further Exclusive Weeks in Portugal, Spain and Italy.
This September, Stirred Travel is introducing its first luxury culinary week hosted by the well-known and highly regarded chef Henry Harris, who opened Bouchon Racine in London to critical acclaim. Stirred Travel is redefining culinary escapes by combining immersive cooking lessons from acclaimed chefs with exceptional regional food, relaxed house-party hospitality, exclusive access to local producers and tables at the best local restaurants. Twelve to sixteen culinary weeks a year are hosted in luxury heritage properties in Italy, France, Spain and Portugal.
The gastronomic house party with chef Henry Harris takes place from 1 to 7 September in a restored 18th-century Provencal bastide and will offer guests hands on cooking sessions with Harris as well as cultural and foodie trips out.
Henry Harris is a luminary in the renaissance of French cuisine in London. Best known for his time at Bibendum, 5th Floor at Harvey Nichols, and his legendary 15-year tenure at the original Bouchon Racine in Knightsbridge, Harris brought back the concept and opened Bouchon Racine in Farringdon in late 2022, which has been described as “the best restaurant in London” by the Financial Times restaurant critic Jay Rayner.
Stirred Travel seeks out private luxury properties with both character and authenticity in areas of culinary significance. The Bastide in Provence is situated ten miles south of St Remy de Provence in the Alpilles and was sensitively renovated in 2023 in keeping with its charm and character. It features 11 ensuite rooms, a swimming pool, extensive gardens and original stone staircases and fireplaces.
As well as learning to cook Henry’s Provençal style dishes, guests will go with him to the markets in St Remy, Eygalières and Ménerbes to choose the fresh produce, meet local makers of goats cheese and olive oil and dine in some of the best restaurants in the area, including the famous Bistro du Paradou. There are also guided trips to local villages, the Van Gogh asylum and the Marquis de Sade’s castle, Château de Lacoste.
Relaxed al fresco meals are taken on the verandah shaded by 200-year-old plane trees or on a terrace outside the kitchen or by the pool. All dinners are paired with carefully selected regional wines, chosen for interest as well as outstanding production.
This Autumn, Stirred will also host culinary weeks in Salento, Puglia from 28 September to 4 October 2025 and Alentejo, Portugal from 7to 13 September 2025.
The culinary week in Puglia, Italy is led by chef Ursula Ferrigno, who is author of 30+ cookbooks and a tutor at Leiths, Caldesi and Jericho Kitchen. The location is a traditional nine-bedroom Masseria, charismatically restored by a well-known Italian architect on a private estate in the very south of Italy.
Guests will create regional dishes with Ursula, such as chicory with cannellini bean purée, braciolettine, orecchiette with cime di rape, anchovies and breadcrumbs and fried baby lemon calamari. Trips include visits to the Baroque city of Lecce with lunch at the renowned restaurant Tre Rane and the historic town of Gallipoli on the coast as well as tours of local markets and regional wine and olive oil tastings.
In Portugal, Alentejo has a celebrated food heritage with fresh fish and seafood taking centre stage. Stirred’s cooking week takes place in a former Jesuit monastery, which has integrated its Jesuit heritage with contemporary style just outside the UNESCO World Heritage city of Évora. The week focuses on cooking the freshest fish and seafood with in-house wine and Iberian ham tastings and private tours of Évora, Monsaraz, and local vineyards.
Founded by Patrick Obert in 2014, Stirred has hosted culinary weeks with many notable chefs including José Pizarro, Pizarro restaurants; Neil Bothwick, The French House; Jeremy Lee, Quo Vadis and Jake Simpson, Bocca di Lupo. 2026 will see an expanded programme of gastronomic weeks with soon-to-be announced chefs and new locations.
Prices start from £4,950 per person for six nights, based on double occupancy and includes accommodation, all tuition, food, wine, drinks, restaurant meals, trips, tours, tastings and airport transfers. Group size ranges from 8 to 16 people per week. stirredtravel.com @stirredtravel