Our Story
A very warm welcome to WhitePepper. Our story begins with humble roots, driven by passion, dedication, and an extraordinary community. Over time, we have grown steadily and organically into a fully independent academy with an international reputation. Today, we are proud to be the second-largest provider in the UK offering a Level 4 Professional Culinary Arts Diploma. WhitePepper holds a clutch of over 20 awards, many at national level.
After 15 years on a Dorset farm, we have relocated to our new headquarters in a Grade II listed building in the historic fishing town of Poole—gateway to the World Heritage Jurassic Coastline. Our students not only enjoy the beauty and charm of Dorset but also benefit from excellent transport links and a wide range of accommodation options.
Timeline by Highlights
2000
Sole Trader Status
Private dining, parties and events in and around Surrey and London. Ad hoc personal chef in Europe. Alongside working a full time job as a qualified chef.
2010
Registered UK Company ™️
Founded by Chef Luke Stuart from negotiating the use of two disused horticultural buildings on an old Longhorn beef farm, Dorset UK. Luke helped regenerate the site and was complicit in the site’s new name Bere Farm (an ancient grain type of barley).
2011
Launched Short Courses
The academy opened with five signature courses: Beside the Sea, Feathered & Furred, Forage Fungi, French Patisserie and Bread at Bere Farm.
2012
Launched Kids Cook School
Junior cookery classes and Food Safari activities from 2012-2016. Consistently sold-out six months in advance with events for 4-7 years and 8-12 years. Now full circle with these children attending as adults.
2014
Finalist, Best Community Focused
We were runner up at the UK & Ireland Cookery School Awards for our children’s Food Safari concept and our support work for a disabilities charity.
2014
Winner, Best 1-Day Experience UK
Our experiential British game course, Feathered & Furred, plucked the top spot from runner-up Jamie Oliver Cookery School. UK & Ireland Cookery School awards judged by Times Online.
2015
Launched Chef Academy
Spearheaded a new concept of a professional training ladder. Bronze, Silver and Gold training was more concise than anything seen before reducing both time and student costs. Underpinned with accredited and internationally recognised qualifications by the Confederation of Tourism and Hospitality, which also build National Framework Credits for higher education.
2015
Winner, Britain’s Favourite School
An enormous milestone for WhitePepper and the team by winning Britain’s Favourite Small Cookery School by vote of the British public. Award presented by Nigel Barden food and drink broadcaster.
2018
Winner, BAPTA Education Award
A pure David and Goliath contest to scoop a regional education award with a 50 mile catchment area. We triumphed over large national organisations including Bournemouth University (BU) and several significantly large language schools in the region. Hosted by Bournemouth & Poole Tourism Awards.
2018
Winner, UK Cookery School of The Year
A difficult one to win, with household names in London not managing it to date. We scooped this coveted award at Pall Mall’s Royal Automobile Club, London hosted by Food & Travel Magazine. It was the same year that Tom Brown won Rising Star for Cornerstone Hackney and Tommy Banks won Best Chef for Roots York.
2020
Awarded, Gold Centre Status
We received a letter by post from The Confederation of Tourism & Hospitality’s Academic Council inviting us to Gold Centre Academy Status. At the time, this listed us as 1 of 3 in the UK and 6 centres worldwide. The status is aligned with consistent learner results and educational quality.
2020-25
Launched WhitePepper Online
With the help of a co-founder WPO Ltd. was born. With our education partners we curated a blended (flexible) pathway to a Level 2 Culinary Award for educators, enterprise and individuals. The flexibility and remote accessibility of this certified qualification training was a world first, and still is.
2022
Winner, Best Culinary Academy UK
A prestigious award from Southern Enterprise Awards, whose judging panel upgraded a regional secret nomination to an eventual national title. Delighted, thanks guys!
2019 + 2020 + 2024
Finalists, Food & Travel Magazine
We are very honoured to be listed at the top consistently by the savvy readers of Food & Travel Magazine, with the shortlists spanning across the UK industry for hotels, cookery schools, restaurants, bars and celebrity chefs including recognisable and household names and businesses. We are most grateful.
2024
Purchased New Academy Building
We custom-built and renovated the interior of a new commercial premises which retained it’s attractive Grade II listed front. Situated on the historic high street of Poole town, the design is deliberately open-plan to invite and welcome the community in 7 days a week.
2025
Opened Cafe WhitePepper
The launch of our onsite micro-cafe, directed by our full time pastry chef. Wholesome and healthy but also indulgent. Freshly cooked snacks, baked products, lunches and brunches. Always serving home-fermented or raw salads as complimentary for every lunch. White labelled Brazilian coffee. Dine-in, take-out, click & collect, table reservations. Look out for Bread Shop Saturdays!
2025
Launched Commercial Bridging
3 concepts for our trainees helping them to raise their commercial awareness. We aim to bridge gaps in confidence and competency alongside and as part of our qualification training. These 3 areas include; running a working micro-cafe, delivering multiple pop-up restaurants and workplace stages at acclaimed venues. This potent blend is completely unique across the industry at the time of launch.
2025
Largest Independent Outside London
WhitePepper Chef Academy is the only independent to offer a Level 4 Diploma in Professional Culinary Arts, outside of London. This is the highest and most significant practical training available by way of qualifications. We are the largest independent outside of London and second biggest centre in UK.
2026
Launched Private Events
We love our community and wanted to offer something a little special for family, friendship, community and corporate groups. From January 2026, open and available to host discrete and private dining, group tuition and venue hire. Where are you holding your parties next year?
Meet The Team
A team of experienced professionals who passionately strive to unlock the potential in every student.
Luke Stuart
Executive Director/Chef
Luke leads the teaching team and has a wealth of experience in both hospitality, education and business spanning 25+ years. A chef since 1997 and a Level 5 qualified teacher since 2004, Luke has worked across London, the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. His previous employers include the Roux brothers, Tom Conran and Ivana Trump.
James Palmer-Snellin
Head Chef & Tutor
A first class chef acting as head chef at WhitePepper. James developed his impressive skill set and infectious passion for food from time spent during the early part of his career in boutique hotels and patisserie shops. James runs a monthly supper club at WhitePepper, be sure to check our community section for details.
Brittany Coleman-Smith
With previous experience as manager at the Rockwater restaurant group and a qualified chef herself, Brittany has a diverse set of skills and job descriptions at WhitePepper. Working as our in-house student liaison and across departments both front and back of house, helping smooth processes and increase quality in every way.
Hande Olgun
Pastry Chef
Working as lead for the recently opened Cafe WhitePepper. Hande takes a scientific approach to cooking having transitioned from academia in her home country of Turkey. Hande has a broad skill base but with a particular interest in patisserie. When she is not cooking, you’ll find her developing new recipes.
Fred Fumpston
Chef de Partie
Fred holds a Level 3 Certificate in Professional Cookery. Entering his third year of employment Fred is working towards his Level 4 Diploma. Fred works in all areas of the business and ensures the smooth running of courses/events, location of equipment/ingredients, alongside supplying the cafe with tasty products on a daily basis.
Sustainability Unearthed
WhitePepper is based in the historic fishing town of Poole. We benefit from some of the UK’s best land and sea produce. We are personally responsible for sourcing our own game produce from our connections with local gamekeepers and farms. More than a decade ago, we coined the term Provenance Trips, where we designed a number of experiences for our trainees to connect them to the seasons, sustainable practices and artisan food production.
Our Partners
Reviews
Trustpilot is our review hub. We have found this to host the most genuine and trustworthy reviews from our students, customers and clients.
I expected nothing else really as this place is 5 star all the way. Bread, fish, patisserie, Italian, Indian and all the many others on offer. Stop thinking and just book! Just a top place, wonderfully set up and run…
As a teacher myself, I do not say lightly that the teaching of the CTH Award in Culinary Skills has been faultless – and so much fun. We covered so many skills, which have transformed me with so much more confidence…
My experience at WhitePepper has been fantastic. Their passion and guidance in the kitchen was a huge help and it gave me the confidence to push myself daily and overall reach my goal of becoming a chef…
