What started as a lockdown project has grown into a thriving business.
As with a lot of people, Richard and Sophia Yarrow had to rethink their work during the Covid lockdowns. Richard had been a private chef, whose jobs had all been cancelled and Sophia was teaching yoga, and had to cancel classes. This left the couple with time and decisions to make about how to carry on working.
Sign up to our free Scran food and drink newsletter here
The roots of the now successful Yarrow Cookery School started as most did during lockdown: online. Richard explained: “Essentially we decided to try teaching (cooking) on a small scale, and with all the rules at the time, we realised that online was the way forward. We started teaching online classes from then and that led to lots of team building stuff. My sister worked at Virgin Media so they all organised a team session, and that led to different corporate bookings and then lots of families who were looking to do activities online. That’s where the cookery school started but as soon as the rules were lifted, people then started wanting to do stuff in person so we did a combination of teaching in our house and then renting out venues.”
This led the couple to start looking for a permanent venue for their increasingly popular cook school. A search that left them feeling like they’d “been to every shed and garage in East Lothian to try and find the right space.” Finally they found their ideal location within the Longniddry Steading development, which is where they’re based now, three years on.
Richard said: “We started hearing about the work that was happening at Longniddry Steading and we luckily knew the builder and were one of the first businesses interested so we managed to have a viewing of the farm buildings which were still quite derelict but were slowly being restored. We chose the space we have because of the nice little courtyard area so we can grill things and people can eat outside.” This courtyard is now a garden that’s open to the public, and well used.
The classes, which are roughly once a week and include things like pasta and prosecco; Southeast Asian evenings; the Bengali table; flatbread feasts; the Mexican table; tacos and tequila; venison wellington and Kerala Indian cooking are all developed by Sophia and Richard and inspired by what they like to eat. At the time of writing, all the classes are sold out until late January and early February.
Sophia explained that this is to do with repeat custom but also the mindfulness of cooking and eating as a group. She said: “What’s really nice is that in every class we have people coming back. We don’t have a big marketing campaign or budget so most of our custom has been mainly through word of mouth which is really nice. I think that’s why all the classes are really popular. People like to book up their weekends in advance. The Eastern Mediterranean class is sold out till June next year.
“We try to make sure everyone has a great time. That’s why we set the cookery school up and I think it’s going so well at the moment because people put their phones away because you have to as you’re cooking. Everyone is around this island and people get chatting as they’re cooking and then sharing food together.
“I think that’s what’s really special about it. It’s not about whether we’ve managed to find some unique squash in November, it's about people just enjoying old fashioned cooking and eating together. We want it to be a nice relaxed experience first and foremost and then naturally, hopefully, people will learn lots of great tips along the way and feel more confident to cook more at home and get their friends around.”
Richard agreed saying: “We’re trying to be super relaxed so it’s not an intimidating place and there are opportunities for people to have a chat and a laugh while they’re cooking and to enjoy real human connection.”
As for how the couple develop the classes, they said it’s trial and error, what’s available and in season and what they love. Sophia said: “We always try out recipes on our friends. We test them at home then invite our friends over and that’s how we’ve developed each class. It’s all meant to be delicious food to share with other people.”
Richard added: “With Mexican, everyone loves a taco including me so we’re just trying to come up with exciting taco recipes that people might not think of doing at home or have the confidence to try.
“Then with the more local ones, we’ve got this abundance of fresh seafood on our doorstep so it’s showcasing how people can actually get their hands on it and use it. And then, for example, the venison wellington class. I love the fact we’ve got all the deer roaming around. It’s a nice, sustainable form of meat. We just want to have an array of classes so it’s exciting for the regulars to come back and try new things.”
If you are looking to book, and have a group of friends then private classes can be arranged for special occasions or team building, and the cookery school is easily accessible by train from Edinburgh.
In January the couple are launching a three day course, which is “ideal if your new year resolution is to get into cooking from scratch.” They’re also working on their first cookbook.
But for now, the sold out classes continue and they are working with some of the other businesses in the steading including a pizza class with Jamie Craig known for Jamie’s Backyard Slice who has opened Circle and Squares pizza at the Steading. They also find support from their neighbouring small businesses. Richard said: “It’s great. We have such a good working relationship with a lot of people here, for example the florist who pops in and we pop in there just to have a chat.
“The food court is going to be huge and we get on really well with Sophie who is currently running the coffee shop who’s hopefully going to take on a restaurant. It’s nice to have that community. At times running a business is challenging so having other people who are also trying to run small businesses on your doorstep is really nice as it gives you that support.”
Sophia added: “In the summer we’re going to have a little festival on the green area and the businesses are already chatting about how we can make that really good. It’s nice to do things with other people, so it’s not just Richard and I all the time.”
It’s an exciting time for Yarrow Cookery School and the burgeoning community at Longniddry Steading, with Christmas drinks coming up and a packed first half of 2027. Proof that a lockdown pivot can be a life changing experience.