West African Cooking Experience: Cook Without a Recipe

Cook without a recipe and think like a chef in this cooking experience in London.



105 mins Location Stanmore Class size 1 to 10 guests   £40 - £45 (£45 per guest when you book for 1+ guests, £40/guest for 5+ guests)
Most cooking classes follow recipes -- this cooking workshop in London invites you to step away from them. In this hands-on West African Food Lab, you’ll explore a more creative approach to cooking, where flavour comes first and structure follows, guided by Chef Dumebi’s Flavour Building System.
No experience is needed. This is a relaxed, supportive space where you can experiment, trust your instincts, and learn by doing, without pressure or perfection.
What to expect:
  • Learning a flavour-first approach to cooking using a base, build, and finish method.
  • Working in teams to create a dish from scratch.
  • Exploring bold West African flavours in a flexible, creative way.
  • Tasting, adjusting, and refining your dish as you go.
  • Plating, presenting, and sharing your final creation.
  • Developing confidence in making decisions in the kitchen.
  • Building flavour from the ground up without relying on recipes.
By the end of the workshop, you’ll leave with a dish you created yourself, a repeatable way to build flavour at home and the confidence to cook more intuitively and creatively!

Upcoming dates for West African Cooking Experience: Cook Without a Recipe

Times are London time. Dates and prices as of 26 Oct 2026, 10:47pm; availability and price are confirmed live when booking on this page.

461 upcoming dates between 28 Oct 2026 and 31 Dec 2027.

  • Wed 28 Oct 2026, 11am-12:45pm
  • Wed 28 Oct 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Thu 29 Oct 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Fri 30 Oct 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sat 31 Oct 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sun 1 Nov 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Mon 2 Nov 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Tue 3 Nov 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Wed 4 Nov 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Thu 5 Nov 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Fri 6 Nov 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sat 7 Nov 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sun 8 Nov 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Mon 9 Nov 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Tue 10 Nov 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Wed 11 Nov 2026, 11am-12:45pm
  • Wed 11 Nov 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Thu 12 Nov 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Fri 13 Nov 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sat 14 Nov 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sun 15 Nov 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Mon 16 Nov 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Tue 17 Nov 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Wed 18 Nov 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Thu 19 Nov 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Fri 20 Nov 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sat 21 Nov 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sun 22 Nov 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Mon 23 Nov 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Tue 24 Nov 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Wed 25 Nov 2026, 11am-12:45pm
  • Wed 25 Nov 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Thu 26 Nov 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Fri 27 Nov 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sat 28 Nov 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sun 29 Nov 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Mon 30 Nov 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Tue 1 Dec 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Wed 2 Dec 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Thu 3 Dec 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Fri 4 Dec 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sat 5 Dec 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sun 6 Dec 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Mon 7 Dec 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Tue 8 Dec 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Wed 9 Dec 2026, 11am-12:45pm
  • Wed 9 Dec 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Thu 10 Dec 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Fri 11 Dec 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sat 12 Dec 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sun 13 Dec 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Mon 14 Dec 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Tue 15 Dec 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Wed 16 Dec 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Thu 17 Dec 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Fri 18 Dec 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sat 19 Dec 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sun 20 Dec 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Mon 21 Dec 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Tue 22 Dec 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Wed 23 Dec 2026, 11am-12:45pm
  • Wed 23 Dec 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Thu 24 Dec 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Fri 25 Dec 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sat 26 Dec 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sun 27 Dec 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Mon 28 Dec 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Tue 29 Dec 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Wed 30 Dec 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Thu 31 Dec 2026, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Fri 1 Jan 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sat 2 Jan 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sun 3 Jan 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Mon 4 Jan 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Tue 5 Jan 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Wed 6 Jan 2027, 11am-12:45pm
  • Wed 6 Jan 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Thu 7 Jan 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Fri 8 Jan 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sat 9 Jan 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sun 10 Jan 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Mon 11 Jan 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Tue 12 Jan 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Wed 13 Jan 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Thu 14 Jan 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Fri 15 Jan 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sat 16 Jan 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sun 17 Jan 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Mon 18 Jan 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Tue 19 Jan 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Wed 20 Jan 2027, 11am-12:45pm
  • Wed 20 Jan 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Thu 21 Jan 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Fri 22 Jan 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sat 23 Jan 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sun 24 Jan 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Mon 25 Jan 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Tue 26 Jan 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Wed 27 Jan 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Thu 28 Jan 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Fri 29 Jan 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sat 30 Jan 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sun 31 Jan 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Mon 1 Feb 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Tue 2 Feb 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Wed 3 Feb 2027, 11am-12:45pm
  • Wed 3 Feb 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Thu 4 Feb 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Fri 5 Feb 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sat 6 Feb 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sun 7 Feb 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Mon 8 Feb 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Tue 9 Feb 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Wed 10 Feb 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Thu 11 Feb 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Fri 12 Feb 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sat 13 Feb 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sun 14 Feb 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Mon 15 Feb 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Tue 16 Feb 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Wed 17 Feb 2027, 11am-12:45pm
  • Wed 17 Feb 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Thu 18 Feb 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Fri 19 Feb 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sat 20 Feb 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sun 21 Feb 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Mon 22 Feb 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Tue 23 Feb 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Wed 24 Feb 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Thu 25 Feb 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Fri 26 Feb 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sat 27 Feb 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sun 28 Feb 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Mon 1 Mar 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Tue 2 Mar 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Wed 3 Mar 2027, 11am-12:45pm
  • Wed 3 Mar 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Thu 4 Mar 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Fri 5 Mar 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sat 6 Mar 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sun 7 Mar 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Mon 8 Mar 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Tue 9 Mar 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Wed 10 Mar 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Thu 11 Mar 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Fri 12 Mar 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sat 13 Mar 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sun 14 Mar 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Mon 15 Mar 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Tue 16 Mar 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Wed 17 Mar 2027, 11am-12:45pm
  • Wed 17 Mar 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Thu 18 Mar 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Fri 19 Mar 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sat 20 Mar 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sun 21 Mar 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Mon 22 Mar 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Tue 23 Mar 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Wed 24 Mar 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Thu 25 Mar 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Fri 26 Mar 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sat 27 Mar 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sun 28 Mar 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Mon 29 Mar 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Tue 30 Mar 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Wed 31 Mar 2027, 11am-12:45pm
  • Wed 31 Mar 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Thu 1 Apr 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Fri 2 Apr 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sat 3 Apr 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sun 4 Apr 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Mon 5 Apr 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Tue 6 Apr 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Wed 7 Apr 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Thu 8 Apr 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Fri 9 Apr 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sat 10 Apr 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sun 11 Apr 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Mon 12 Apr 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Tue 13 Apr 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Wed 14 Apr 2027, 11am-12:45pm
  • Wed 14 Apr 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Thu 15 Apr 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Fri 16 Apr 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sat 17 Apr 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sun 18 Apr 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Mon 19 Apr 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Tue 20 Apr 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Wed 21 Apr 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Thu 22 Apr 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Fri 23 Apr 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sat 24 Apr 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sun 25 Apr 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Mon 26 Apr 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Tue 27 Apr 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Wed 28 Apr 2027, 11am-12:45pm
  • Wed 28 Apr 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Thu 29 Apr 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Fri 30 Apr 2027, 12pm-1:45pm
  • Sat 1 May 2027, 12pm-1:45pm

Plus 261 more dates after these. See and book every date at https://classbento.co.uk/west-african-cooking-experience-cook-without-a-recipe-london

  • May 2027: 32 more dates
  • June 2027: 32 more dates
  • July 2027: 33 more dates
  • August 2027: 33 more dates
  • September 2027: 33 more dates
  • October 2027: 33 more dates
  • November 2027: 32 more dates
  • December 2027: 33 more dates
What you'll get
  • A unique, interactive cooking experience.
  • Insight into how chefs build flavour without recipes.
  • A dish created by you and your team!
  • Feedback and guidance from Chef Dumebi.
  • A fun, social, and creative group atmosphere.
Knowledge required
Beginner-friendly.
What to bring
  • An open mind and willingness to experiment!
  • Comfortable clothing and closed-toe shoes.
Location

Stanmore

Exact location is masked for privacy. You'll automatically get the specific address after booking.

Your teacher can also travel within 15 miles of Stanmore, to a venue of your choice for a private class.

West African Cooking Experience: Cook Without a Recipe location
Your teacher

Samantha's Bistro London
Samantha's Bistro London

5.0 (13)
female Women-owned

Chef Dumebi is a chef, educator and creator of The Jollof System — her signature Base → Build → Finish approach to understanding flavour, technique and great Jollof.
Drawing on a culinary journey shaped by Lagos, Lomé, Accra and London, she teaches West African food through culture, memory and technique, helping students understand why a dish works rather than simply following a recipe.
Her classes explore Nigerian party-style Jollof, the foundations of West African flavour, regional dishes, plant-based cooking and contemporary approaches to familiar foods.
Expect bold food, practical technique, plenty of conversation and a relaxed, hands-on atmosphere where complete beginners are welcome.
At the heart of Chef Dumebi’s teaching is a simple belief: understand the base, and you begin to understand the dish.
Beyond the classroom, she is a hospitality consultant, writer and culinary entrepreneur whose work explores African food culture, restaurant development and the future of hospitality.
Chef Dumebi | Creator of The Jollof System | Where Culture Meets Cuisine
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