Students in the City – Professional Cookery

Trainee chefs learning how to cook at Edinburgh New Town Cookery School

Student life can be exciting, but also daunting.  For many, the excitement of learning new things and living in a different city is all part of the experience. We find the students on our professional cookery courses choose Edinburgh because of the excellent teaching at ENTCS and the great job prospects on graduation, but also because it is one of the most exciting and accessible cities in Britain.

With a population of just half-a-million Edinburgh is one of the most compact capital cities there is, and unlike some there is no dead heart of commerce at its centre that closes down at 5pm when the shutters come down. Instead, the city’s heritage of Old and New Town tenements means that the CBD is still very much a place to live, and of an evening there can be as much buzz on the streets as during the day.

Beyond the cafes and pubs, featuring ever increasing selections of locally brewed craft beers and flavoursome boutique gins beside the traditional whiskies Scotland is famous for, there are rewarding views and activities for anyone who wants to venture a little further.

Obviously Edinburgh has the castle, hard to miss as it frowns down the length of the royal mile to Holyrood at its foot. But it also has Craigmillar Castle to the south and its famous seven hills, which offer views across the city.   The special combination of rugged geography with cosmopolitan bars, clubs, restaurants and shops, is part of its charm.

If hill climbing appeals, the ascent up Arthur’s Seat at any time of year provides breath-taking panoramas, from where you can plot more exploration, whether to the coast or back into the Georgian grandeur of the New Town.

There are also the ‘villages’ of Edinburgh, including Stockbridge, Leith and Portobello. These small communities within the city have thriving weekend markets and a wealth of small cafes that, along Leith Walk especially, reflect the diversity of Edinburgh’s population. Edinburgh also has a seaside, complete with promenade and beach, and easily reached by bus.

Students on our courses enjoy living and learning in Edinburgh and the opportunity of working within one of our acclaimed restaurants is an additional benefit of training to be a cook in the city.

If you are thinking of signing up to one of our courses, we’re always happy to talk to you about life in Edinburgh and at the school before you make the decision.   Please do contact us