Join us for our open evening at Leiths on Thursday, 16 July 2026, 6.30–8.30pm, and discover how the Culinary Diploma can launch your career in food.
Join us for our open evening at Leiths on Thursday, 16 July 2026, 6.30–8.30pm, and discover how the Culinary Diploma can launch your career in food.
An evening with… is a series of demonstrations at Leiths Culinary School, bringing together partners and Leiths alumni to share their expertise with the wider Leiths community.
Our events team are on hand to help.
Book on to our experiences now.
An evening with… is our guest series at Leiths Culinary School, where we invite partners and Leiths alumni to take over the kitchen for one night.
Each event offers an insight into the people and ideas shaping food today – whether that is a chef, a producer, a food writer or a Leiths graduate who has carved out their own path since leaving the School. Expect a genuine exchange: demonstrations, conversation and the kind of knowledge that does not appear in cookbooks.
What to expect:
An evening with… brings together partners and Leiths alumni who are doing interesting things in food. Each event centres on a guest who has built a career worth celebrating – whether that is a chef, a food writer, a producer or a Leiths graduate who has gone on to make their mark in the industry.
Over the course of the evening, guests will demonstrate signature dishes from their career and cookbooks, sharing the stories and techniques behind them.
There will be samples to taste, fizz on arrival and a recipe pack to take home to try their dishes yourself.
Please arrive in good time so we’re ready to start promptly at 6.30pm.
Please read our full policy on allergies and dietary restrictions here.
To book, click ‘Book now’ at the top of the page and select your preferred session.
Reserve your spot on our An evening with… events today and experience the best of the industry.
Born and raised in Freetown, Sierra Leone, Maria now lives in Kent. After graduating from Leiths, Maria opened her restaurant Shwen Shwen to widespread critical acclaim. She has since won the Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand’s Opening of the Year and Condé Naste’s Chef of the Year, and, recently, a nomination for the National Restaurant Awards’ Chef of the Year.
An evening with… is a guest demonstration series at Leiths Culinary School in London. Each event brings a partner or Leiths alumnus into the kitchen to demonstrate signature dishes from their career, share their story and spend an evening with the wider Leiths community.
Guests are chefs, food writers, producers and Leiths alumni who are established and active in the food industry. Each guest is chosen for the quality of their work and the depth of knowledge they bring to the evening.
Guests demonstrate dishes from their career and cookbooks, with time for questions throughout. There is fizz on arrival, samples to taste during the demonstration and a recipe pack to take home.
No prior cooking experience is required. The evenings are demonstrations rather than hands-on classes, and are open to anyone with an interest in food – from curious beginners to experienced home cooks.
All events are held at Leiths Culinary School, 16–20 Wendell Road, London, W12 9RT.
Places can be booked directly through the Leiths website. Each event has limited availability, so early booking is recommended.
Yes. An evening with… events make a considered gift for anyone interested in food, cooking or the work of a particular guest.
Culinary Masterclasses are hands-on, skills-based courses led by Leiths chef tutors. An evening with… is a guest demonstration series focused on the careers, dishes and expertise of partners and alumni from the wider food industry.
