In the sleepy village of Helhoughton, deep in the heart of North Norfolk, there’s something delicious bubbling away. A cookery school, rural getaway and handcrafted chocolates sound like a recipe for happiness to me! Tucked away in a collection of restored farm buildings, once part of the Raynham Estate, are Hunters Academy of Food, Hunters B&B and Hunters Chocolates, all co-founded by Gary and Nichola Hunter.

Gary has all the credentials to inspire others in the kitchen, having led the famous hospitality school at London’s Westminster Kingsway College for over 20 years, where he trained the best chefs in the industry (glittering alumni includes Jamie Oliver, who wrote the foreword to one of Gary’s professional cookery books). Now back in his home county, Gary is joined at his new Norfolk cookery school by a hand-picked team of passionate, expert chefs who are all forerunners in their specialism.

Whether your cooking repertoire lacks adventure (spag bog again!), or you’re a keen cook looking to level-up or even go professional – you’ve come to the right place, with all manner of courses to tempt you. The all-day, hands-on workshops (including lunch and a cheeky glass of wine) cover everything from mastering the art of macaron making through to how to ace the biggest celebratory meal of the year on the Christmas Day Preparation Course (sign me up!).

There’s also a whole series of delectable chocolate workshops, from novice to professional level. As a world-class chocolatier what Gary doesn’t know about cocoa ain’t worth knowing, so you’ll be fully conversed in tempering, moulding and flavour pairing. You don’t have to roll up your sleeves here though, you can simply enjoy the fruits (or polished bonbons!) of the expert’s labour by purchasing Gary’s artisanal chocolates either online or directly from Home Farm House, available in boxes of 12, 18 and 24.

Truffle and Crumble are the appropriately culinary names of the two B&B double bedrooms housed in the restored riding stable in the grounds of the cookery school. An ideal foodie’s getaway and base to explore North Norfolk (where there’s plenty of local delights to sample), the elegant rooms feature exposed original beams and vaulted ceilings, and share a private garden. Breakfast is served to your room – think freshly baked pastries from Hunters’ own micro-bakery and a rather special homemade chocolate granola. You’ll be begging for that recipe!