Meet the team

Combining experience, skills, enthusiasm and a passion for teaching cookery, our team of professional chefs and cooks will ensure you experience a memorable visit to Manor Farm Cookery School in rural Leicestershire.

Diana Thompson

Diana owns and manages Manor Farm Cookery School. She trained at the Tante Marie Cookery School and ran a cooking company called Frozen Assets for many years before starting a Montessori Nursery School. She is an expert at creating dishes from a variety of store cupboard and left-over ingredients and has passed these skills onto her children.

andrea Wallace

Andrea trained at Leith’s School of Food and Wine. Following her training, she worked in several of Leith’s different divisions gaining critical real-life catering experience, which has given her a wide range of knowledge and practical experience to impart to students. She then became a Senior Teacher at Leith’s, teaching year diploma courses, part-time and specialist courses. This role gave rise to media appearances both on TV and Radio, and at the Good Food Show.

CHRIS ANSELL

Chris is previously of Michelin-star Hambleton Hall, Head Chef at Langar Hall Hotel and, most recently, Executive Head Chef at the award-winning Olive Branch at Clipsham. He is highly experienced at tutoring, presenting cookery demonstrations and leading Masterclasses.

PETTY ELLIOTT

Petty, an Indonesian chef, food writer and consultant, is a pioneer in the promotion and understanding of modern Indonesian cuisine. Since relocating to the UK three years ago, she has collaborated with leading chefs and made Guest Chef appearances various venues, including the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. She also teaches at the Cookery School at Little Portland Street, London.

sachiko saeki

Sachiko’s love of Japanese cooking started from an early age when she helped her parents to prepare food for their restaurant in Japan. She continued to develop her craft in the London kitchens of Wabi and of Mitsukoshi, also at Uma, a Michelin star Japanense restaurant in Mayfair. She has taught at Leith’s School of Food & Wine and River Cottage with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and now at Harborne Food School in Birmingham.

CRAIG FLOATE

Craig is a talented chef who has worked in the food industry for over 25 years. One of the many highlights of Craig’s career was being chosen to as a team chef for the British Olympic sailing team for the London 2012 Olympic Games. He supported the team throughout Europe, to ensure they were always on top form. Private Chef of the Year 2020/2021 - Great Food Club Awards