Chef Teach Me launches in Dubai on 31 October 2026.
Opening classes include Dinner Party Secrets, Rise & Shine, and Surf & Turf.
Two-hour sessions run at 10am and 2pm, with a maximum of 16 participants.
The new cookery school launches on 31 October with small-group classes for home cooks.
If your dinner party repertoire could use a refresh, Chef James Knight-Paccheco is here to help. His cookery school, Chef Teach Me, opens in Dubai on Saturday, 31 October 2026, with practical classes designed for beginners and enthusiastic home cooks.
Known as Chef JKP, Knight-Paccheco brings more than 20 years of experience in kitchens across the UK and the Middle East. He has worked alongside Gordon Ramsay, Raymond Blanc and Michael Caines, while his career also includes the FACT award-winning Ryba restaurant in Abu Dhabi. Away from the stove, he hosts the Chef JKP Podcast, sharing conversations with figures from across the hospitality industry.
The school puts participants to work preparing their own dishes, with guidance on techniques they can use in their kitchens at home. Groups are capped at 16 people, and the two-hour sessions follow a three-dish format that combines one of the chef’s signature dishes, a practical cooking technique and a surprise ingredient.
“This is about making good cooking feel more approachable and giving people the opportunity to learn directly from a chef in a relaxed and enjoyable setting,” said James Knight-Paccheco. “It is not aimed at professionals. It is for anyone who loves food and wants to develop the skills and confidence to cook well at home.”
The opening class programme begins with Dinner Party Secrets on Saturday, 31 October 2026, priced at AED 495 per person. The session covers planning a three-course meal, deciding what to prepare ahead, cooking chicken safely and making a restaurant-style pan sauce. It also addresses the finishing touches, from balancing textures to presenting the food.
Breakfast takes the spotlight with Rise & Shine on Saturday, 7 November 2026, priced at AED 450 per person. Participants will work on poached eggs, making and rescuing hollandaise, cooking potatoes and achieving golden French toast. The class also tackles a familiar hosting challenge: serving several guests a hot breakfast at the same time.
Then comes Surf & Turf on Saturday, 14 November 2026, priced at AED 550 per person. Lessons include selecting and storing meat and fish, controlling pan temperature, understanding doneness, resting meat, butter-basting and turning the contents of a pan into a quick sauce.
Each date offers morning and afternoon sessions, running from 10am to noon and 2pm to 4pm. Ingredients and professional equipment are provided, while participants can eat what they cook or take it home. Recipe packs and a selection of gifts are also included.
Private classes, corporate events and bespoke group experiences are also available on request. Future plans include guest-chef sessions, family cooking and programmes exploring different cuisines.
Contact: chefteachme.com