Secret Ingredient Cookery was set up over 7 years ago by cooking enthusiasts Francesca O’Keeffe and Wendy Walker. Services range from educational cooking courses for children all the way up to university students, located in a home kitchen for a hands-on, personal approach to teaching. Other services include catering for dinner parties and online visual learning.

Having graduated from Oxford Brookes University with a BSc Hons in Hotel & Catering Management., Wendy has worked for over 30 years in the catering industry. Training at the Dorchester, Park Lane and managing Rules restaurant in Covent Garden.

Francesca’s organisational and communication skills stem from a long career in PR and Marketing, coupled with her love of cooking and all things food-related.

This made an ideal partnership and after coordinating a school cookery book, involving 210 families and covering a comprehensive range of recipes and family meals they decided to launch Secret Ingredient and haven’t looked back. We aim to teach an invaluable skill in a fun and relaxed way.

Lottie "I have really enjoyed this cookery course and I'm sad to say goodbye to it. I will continue cooking and I can't thank you enough for your help"

Autumn "I have learnt to cook from scratch and can now make an entire meal for my family"

Connie "I am really enjoying the course and can't wait to complete more recipes"

Niks "Monty so enjoyed the course, it has seriously boosted his confidence. Thank you"

Katya "Thank you Secret Ingredient. Before this George’s idea of cooking was using the toaster and pouring milk on cereal, so your course has been really positive and a relief not to have to cook one night a week!

Jenny "I loved watching Rory grow in confidence in the kitchen. It was good to get a night off cooking, knowing what Rory cooked us was going to really delicious"