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VIEW PHOTOS
VIEW PHOTOS

Host: Kit

Ticehurst, England

USD
$48-$124 per person

Gourmet cooking in the beautiful English countryside of Sussex

Host offerings
  • Rural farmhouse
  • Home cook
  • Pets
  • Vegetarian
  • Alcohol
  • Transportation
  • Cooking class
  • Market visit
  • Food tour

Meet Kit

Kit is a fun, jovial Englishman and a real foodie who credits his passion for cooking to his mother - a great cook. His fondest childhood memories are of lounging around the dining table as a family, drinking coffee and discussing what the next meal would be. Kit joined the British army and kept finding himself gravitating to the Officers’ Mess kitchen! He eventually resigned from the army to follow his true passion – food and cooking. He learned his craft from a number of characters who served everyone from celebrities to royalty in London, and he went on to own a lobster shack in the Virgin Islands as well as run a very popular restaurant and bar in Chelsea (frequented by Princess Diana at the time!). He set up other restaurants in London before deciding to move to the English countryside with his family. He is passionate about teaching youngsters and educating people about local food while helping local producers and farmers gain access to markets. Kit lives in a medieval farmhouse (the kind people leave London for!) and loves hosting travelers and locals alike.

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

In-home meal: (1-6 guests) Meet your host Kit at his rural farmhouse in the High Weald of Sussex, a pastoral region of England with a wooded skyline. Kit loves to show people around the area where he lives, so start your experience with quick tour of the region he lives in and loves. You'll learn about the history of the area - including how it produced iron ore for the Roman empire helping to fuel the industrial revolution! Return home for a drink and join your host at his dining table to enjoy a local English meal with a creative twist. Your meal will include three courses which will be served family style. Your menu might include an appetizer such as hot smoked salmon with creamed horseradish or wild garlic pesto on focaccia, followed by a main like local beef fillet with dauphinoise potatoes and a vegetable ratatouille or local lobster served with black pudding. End your meal with a sweet raspberry tart with cream or an apple crumble served with custard.

Kit is open to offering vegan and vegetarian menus.

Cooking experience: (1-4 guests) Join your host Kit at his farmhouse kitchen and learn to cook a local, gourmet English meal in this Sussex cooking class. Your meal will be created from recipes handed down to Kit from his mother, which he has perfected and added his own flavor to over the years. Your hands-on cooking class will last about two hours, during which you will learn to cook three dishes from scratch that include an appetizer, a main and a dessert. Enjoy learning about the tips and techniques involved in preparing hearty English cuisine before you sit down at the table to share the meal you helped prepare with Kit.

Market visit: (1-4 guests) This is not a market tour, rather a tour of Kit's local farm producers. Meet your host Kit at his home before taking a half-hour trip to Hastings, one of the oldest beach-launching fishing fleets in the UK. Meet the local fisherman, get a quick tour of the boats and purchase fish that you will bring back to cook during your cooking class. On your way back, you will stop at Cooper’s Farm, a small farm with Sussex cattle and pigs in the woods. Meet a passionate farmer, and friend of Kit's, and learn about how they raise cattle organically. Your local producer tour will last about two hours.

We recommend bringing sneakers or appropriate footwear, as well as a jacket or raincoat, since you will be outside touring local farms and exploring the pastures.

Notes: Stonegate is an 80-minute train ride from London Bridge station. Allow for an additional 20-40 minutes to commute to London Bridge station for a total of 100-120 minutes commute each way. If you are staying in the Sussex region, Kit also offers pickup and dropoff to your hotel within a 10-mile radius. The complete farm tour + cooking class + meal experience is a full day experience.

Languages spoken: English, French

Sample menu

This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.
  • Appetizer of hot smoked salmon with creamed horseradish
  • Main of local beef fillet with dauphinoise potatoes
  • Side of vegetable ratatouille or seasonal vegetables
  • Dessert of raspberry tart with cream or an apple crumble with custard

Traveler reviews

5.0 (1)
We really can't say enough good things about Kit. We learned so much, and the day we spent was the best of our trip. The tour of the region was as good as the food.
- Emily August 14, 2019
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Kit

$48-$124 USD

per person
100% VETTED
Learn more
  • 100% satisfaction guarantee or your money back
  • Credit card is not charged until the host confirms your booking
  • Private experience
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ ppl
In-Home Meal
 $74 $58 $48
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $100 $76 Not offered
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 $124 $96 Not offered
Alcohol
 $14 per person
Transportation
 $60 per car
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 people 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $74 $58 $48
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $100 $76 Not offered
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 $124 $96 Not offered
Alcohol
 $14 per person
Transportation
 $60 per car
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
 12:00pm-2:00pm 7:00pm-9:00pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 10:00am-2:00pm 5:00pm-9:00pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 9:00am-3:00pm 3:00pm-9:00pm

Meet Kit

Kit is a fun, jovial Englishman and a real foodie who credits his passion for cooking to his mother - a great cook. His fondest childhood memories are of lounging around the dining table as a family, drinking coffee and discussing what the next meal would be. Kit joined the British army and kept finding himself gravitating to the Officers’ Mess kitchen! He eventually resigned from the army to follow his true passion – food and cooking. He learned his craft from a number of characters who served everyone from celebrities to royalty in London, and he went on to own a lobster shack in the Virgin Islands as well as run a very popular restaurant and bar in Chelsea (frequented by Princess Diana at the time!). He set up other restaurants in London before deciding to move to the English countryside with his family. He is passionate about teaching youngsters and educating people about local food while helping local producers and farmers gain access to markets. Kit lives in a medieval farmhouse (the kind people leave London for!) and loves hosting travelers and locals alike.

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

In-home meal: (1-6 guests) Meet your host Kit at his rural farmhouse in the High Weald of Sussex, a pastoral region of England with a wooded skyline. Kit loves to show people around the area where he lives, so start your experience with quick tour of the region he lives in and loves. You'll learn about the history of the area - including how it produced iron ore for the Roman empire helping to fuel the industrial revolution! Return home for a drink and join your host at his dining table to enjoy a local English meal with a creative twist. Your meal will include three courses which will be served family style. Your menu might include an appetizer such as hot smoked salmon with creamed horseradish or wild garlic pesto on focaccia, followed by a main like local beef fillet with dauphinoise potatoes and a vegetable ratatouille or local lobster served with black pudding. End your meal with a sweet raspberry tart with cream or an apple crumble served with custard.

Kit is open to offering vegan and vegetarian menus.

Cooking experience: (1-4 guests) Join your host Kit at his farmhouse kitchen and learn to cook a local, gourmet English meal in this Sussex cooking class. Your meal will be created from recipes handed down to Kit from his mother, which he has perfected and added his own flavor to over the years. Your hands-on cooking class will last about two hours, during which you will learn to cook three dishes from scratch that include an appetizer, a main and a dessert. Enjoy learning about the tips and techniques involved in preparing hearty English cuisine before you sit down at the table to share the meal you helped prepare with Kit.

Market visit: (1-4 guests) This is not a market tour, rather a tour of Kit's local farm producers. Meet your host Kit at his home before taking a half-hour trip to Hastings, one of the oldest beach-launching fishing fleets in the UK. Meet the local fisherman, get a quick tour of the boats and purchase fish that you will bring back to cook during your cooking class. On your way back, you will stop at Cooper’s Farm, a small farm with Sussex cattle and pigs in the woods. Meet a passionate farmer, and friend of Kit's, and learn about how they raise cattle organically. Your local producer tour will last about two hours.

We recommend bringing sneakers or appropriate footwear, as well as a jacket or raincoat, since you will be outside touring local farms and exploring the pastures.

Notes: Stonegate is an 80-minute train ride from London Bridge station. Allow for an additional 20-40 minutes to commute to London Bridge station for a total of 100-120 minutes commute each way. If you are staying in the Sussex region, Kit also offers pickup and dropoff to your hotel within a 10-mile radius. The complete farm tour + cooking class + meal experience is a full day experience.

Languages spoken: English, French

Sample menu

This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.
  • Appetizer of hot smoked salmon with creamed horseradish
  • Main of local beef fillet with dauphinoise potatoes
  • Side of vegetable ratatouille or seasonal vegetables
  • Dessert of raspberry tart with cream or an apple crumble with custard

Traveler reviews

5.0 (1)
We really can't say enough good things about Kit. We learned so much, and the day we spent was the best of our trip. The tour of the region was as good as the food.
- Emily August 14, 2019
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ ppl
In-Home Meal
 $74 $58 $48
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $100 $76 Not offered
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 $124 $96 Not offered
Alcohol
 $14 per person
Transportation
 $60 per car
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 people 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $74 $58 $48
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $100 $76 Not offered
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 $124 $96 Not offered
Alcohol
 $14 per person
Transportation
 $60 per car
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
 12:00pm-2:00pm 7:00pm-9:00pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 10:00am-2:00pm 5:00pm-9:00pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
 9:00am-3:00pm 3:00pm-9:00pm
ABOUT TRAVELING SPOON

Traveling Spoon connects you with meaningful culinary experiences, from private cooking lessons to homecooked meals in people's homes. Enjoy an immersive cultural experience that gives you a glimpse into the local way of life.

FAQ

    You can cancel your reservation up until 48 hours before your experience for a full refund minus a 3% processing fee. Experiences within 48 hours are not refundable.

    If you have a question for your host, you can include a note in the field "Write a note to your host" during the booking process. Once your booking is confirmed, you will be emailed your host's direct contact information and you will also be able to message the host through your profile. You can always cancel your booking and receive a full refund 48 hours or more before your experience. If you have other questions you can also email us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

    Most of our hosts are able to accommodate dietary restrictions and allergies, including vegetarian and gluten free options. For vegetarian travelers, we have an icon on each host profile to indicate whether that host can also offer a fully vegetarian menu. There is a section in the booking form to note any allergies or dietary restrictions which will be sent directly to your host.

    Some hosts offer alcohol as an optional add-on for travelers who are of legal drinking age. Pricing for alcohol is visible on the host profile page and includes one to two glasses of wine, beer or local alcohol.

    Have a flight or other tour planned and can’t make the timing provided? If the timing listed on the host’s profile doesn’t work for you, our hosts can often accommodate timing changes. Because all of our experiences are private our hosts are happy to tailor experiences to meet your travel needs. Simply note your request in the booking process.

    Your card will not be charged until your host accepts your booking. Typically hosts respond to bookings within 72 hours. In the event your host is unavailable on your selected date and your host rejects your booking your credit card will not be charged.

    Your host's detailed contact information, including their phone number, address, and direction notes, will all be provided immediately upon successful confirmation of your experience (after your hosts accepts your booking and your credit card is successfully processed). This information will be emailed to you to the email address you used to sign up, and will also be visible on your Traveling Spoon profile.

    All prices are noted per person prices unless otherwise specified. Transportation is typically charged on a per car basis. Children aged 5-11 are 50% off, and infants aged 0-4 are free. Hosts set their own prices and Traveling Spoon marks up the experiences; on average hosts receive over 70% of the price paid by the traveler.

    100% of Traveling Spoon experiences are private! Just you and your host and host’s family.

    Hosts typically respond to booking inquiries within 72 hours. If for some reason you have not heard from your host or if you have any questions you can always contact us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

    Your safety and security are our top priority. To ensure this, Traveling Spoon personally vets 100% of all hosts, including an in-person host visit, to ensure each host and experience meets our strict quality requirements.

    Some hosts offer transportation as an optional add-on for travelers. Typically this is round trip transportation with pick up and drop off at your hotel. Pricing is quoted per car. Specific instructions for transportation will be provided in your confirmation details when your booking is confirmed.

    Many of our hosts accommodate solo travelers. You can see if a host accepts solo travelers by looking at the traveler range found next to the experience descriptions on the host profile (indicated by the numbers in parentheses next to "In-home meal", "Cooking experience" and "Market visit").

    Most of our Traveling Spoon experiences are incredibly family friendly and can accommodate infants and children. If a host is unable to accommodate children that will be noted in the “Notes” section of their profile. Our child pricing policy is children aged 5-11 are 50% off, and infants aged 0-4 are free.