A Working Holiday in France

We need a live-in volunteer worker to help with our busy cooking, painting and photography holidays...

These fun and friendly courses run throughout the summer from April to October, and, due to their success, an extra pair of hands is needed.

That's where you come in: we're looking for a willing worker to join our team and help with the full range of course activities that we offer our clients.

Think you're the person for the job..?

Have a look at the rest of the information on this page, then, if you think you have what it takes or you have any questions, send us an email.

If you'd like to go for it and gain some great life experience, we'll take it from there.

A chance to pick up some great cooking skills...

Accommodation and meals are provided and you'll gain an insight into how we run a successful business in the hospitality industry.

Lots to get your teeth into...

We need your help and expertise during our busy early summer, summer and autumn season, i.e. from mid May to mid October.

You will be required to help with the following tasks...

• Washing up:
  Our clients are on holiday and really appreciate having the washing up done for them

• Cleaning:
  Tidying and cleaning up after each session in the kitchen

• Laundry:
  Tea towels, aprons, bedding and towels, etc, all need washing and ironing

• Ingredient preparation:
  Helping the chef with the mise en place (ingredient preparation) for each cooking session

• Setting table:
  Setting table for indoors or outdoors eating

• Saturday morning changeover:
  Our clients leave Saturday morning and the rooms need changing, i.e. strip and make beds, hoover, clean en suites, etc

• Sunday evening service of welcoming meal:
  Our chef needs your help with preparing and cooking the welcoming Monday evening meal

• Driving clients to/from the airport and local market:
  Using our vehicles for running transfers to/from the airport/train station, transporting clients to/from our local market and for field trips, etc. The ability to competently drive a manual (stick-shift) left hand drive car is essential.

• Shopping:
  Stocking up on provisions from local markets, shops and supermarkets

• Running errands:
  For when we run out of something!

In exchange, you...

• ...will have your own on-site accommodation:
  Your very own accommodation within a short stroll of the activities

• ...can choose between fully catered or self catering facilities:
  Feel free to join in with any meals prepared as part of the course or make your own using ingredients already here

• ...can pick up useful people skills:
  We run relaxed friendly hands-on cooking courses for groups of between four and twelve so there are always interesting and vibrant people around

• ...will be able to learn French or practice your existing language skills:
  While not working or socialising with our clients, you will inevitably come into contact with the locals, all of whom are friendly and encouraging

• ...have the opportunity to immerse yourself in rural French life:
  Take advantage of your time off and explore the wonderful scenery and the pretty honey-coloured towns and villages of this renowned region

• ...will enjoy flexible leisure time:
  We are very friendly and accommodating and will be happy to help you fully appreciate your time in France

• ...can enjoy our 10m x 5m x 1.8m (deep) pool:
  Have a splash in, or just relax around our beautiful south-facing pool

• ...have occasional use of our manual (stick-shift) left hand drive car:
  Depending on competence and availability

Perfectly placed in the centre of the Dordogne tourist region...

More Brits visit the Dordogne than Paris! Consequently, we are situated right in the middle of one of the most popular tourism areas of France.

Our cooking holidays are very popular, and, with six years experience in the business, we know what our clients want.

Take home fantastic new skills, recipes and memories...

Patiently guided and encouraged by our chef, you'll quickly become highly adept in the kitchen. You'll learn skills such as:

• Pre-prep

• Mise en place

• Knife skills

• Ingredient selection

• Flavour-matching

• Menu-planning 

You'll learn everything you could possibly need to cook with flair and imagination back home, and we guarantee you'll leave here with at least three things:

• A battery of new and indispensable cooking skills

• Bucket-loads of kitchen confidence

• Bags of fond memories

Not quite sure?  Then read our great testimonials

Don't worry, it's not all food and cooking...

You'll have a great time here, which is why we describe Cookinfrance to our clients as a cooking holiday. 

When not 'slaving' away in the kitchen you can slope away to visit some of our beautiful tourist sites, doing some shopping, going out for great value meals or just lounging around by the pool soaking up the sun.

Visit bustling open-air markets, a walnut oil mill and, of course, the ancient honey-coloured towns and villages of this perfect region.