--- title: "Three days among makers, markets and open kitchens" city: "London" country: "United Kingdom" lens: "Food & Craft" duration_days: 3 experiences: 6 price_from: "from €2,052 for two" currency: "EUR" firm_prices: 4 prices_on_request: 2 published: "2026-09-01" canonical: "https://keystothe.city/london/3-days-food-craft" source: "Keys to the City" license: "Free to quote and cite with a link to the canonical URL" --- # Three days among makers, markets and open kitchens London, United Kingdom · Food & Craft · 3 days · 6 experiences · from €2,052 for two Your London narrative begins in the quiet, golden morning light of historic St James's, where the capital's living history opens its doors exclusively for you. ## Day one — The Private Ateliers & Subterranean Cellars of St. James's On a quiet June morning before the city wakes, St James's Street carries an undisturbed, timeless calm. Your journey opens through the iconic green door of Lock & Co. Hatters—the world's oldest hat shop—well before public opening hours. Surrounded by historic wooden conformateurs and dark hat boxes dating back to the 18th century, a master hatter measures your profile down to the millimetre, guiding you through bespoke Panama straws and beaver felts in total privacy. Stepping back into the daylight, cross St James's Street to the 300-year-old headquarters of Berry Bros. & Rudd. Descend beneath No. 3 St James's into the subterranean Napoleon and Sussex cellars, where hand-hewn brick vaults hold centuries of fine wine heritage. In the quiet shadows of these historic archives, a Master of Wine unlocks rare bottles for a tutored private tasting, surrounding you with liquid history. ### Lock & Co. Hatters — Private Before-Hours Fitting & Made-to-Measure Consultation - Morning, 1.5 hours · from €525 pp (verified Sep 2026) · 6 St James's St, London SW1A 1EF, UK · Private arrangement Step through the iconic green door of London's oldest shop before public hours for conformateur head measuring by master hatters. Provider: https://www.lockhatters.com ### Berry Bros. & Rudd — Private Guided Cellar Tour & Fine Wine Tasting - Evening, 2 hours · from €146 pp (verified Sep 2026) · 63 Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5HZ, UK · Limited release Explore 300-year-old subterranean cellars under No. 3 St James's Street for a tutored tasting led by a Master of Wine. Provider: https://www.bbr.com ## Day two — Borough Market: Early Producer Walk & The Open Bakery Kitchen The morning sun casts a warm June glow over Borough Market as vendors unpack fresh produce, herbs, and heritage meats. You begin with TV chef Celia Brooks, the market's premier insider, who grants behind-the-counter access to small-scale growers, game butchers, and traditional affineurs before the public crowds arrive. Taste rare raw-milk cheeses and seasonal delicacies straight from the hands of the producers who made them. From the market floor, transition directly into the light-filled open kitchen of Bread Ahead Bakery School, where glass walls look directly out over the market below. Here, the kitchen doors remain open throughout the day. Roll up your sleeves beside master bakers to learn sourdough fermentation and croissant lamination, feeling the elasticity of the dough and taking home freshly baked breads alongside a heritage sourdough starter culture. ### Borough Market — Private VIP Producer & Trader Tasting Tour with TV Chef Celia Brooks - Morning, 3 hours · from €290 per group (verified Sep 2026) · London Brg, London SE1 9AL, UK · Private arrangement Direct introductions to Borough Market producers, affineurs, and game butchers led by the market's only licensed TV chef guide. Provider: http://www.celiabrooks.com ### Bread Ahead Bakery School — Full-Day Masterclass with Master Bakers at Borough Market - Evening, 6.5 hours · from €210 pp (verified Sep 2026) · Borough Market, Cathedral St, London SE1 9DE, UK · Public booking Work alongside master bakers in an open kitchen directly overlooking Borough Market to master sourdough and croissant lamination. Provider: https://www.breadahead.com ## Day three — The Railway Arch Artisans: Affineurs & Blue-Steel Bladesmiths Beneath the brick arches of London's historic railway lines in Bermondsey and Peckham, a quiet craft revolution thrives. Your afternoon begins inside the climate-controlled maturation vaults of Neal's Yard Dairy. The air is cool, humid, and rich with the earthy aroma of aging raw-milk cheeses. Accompanied by a senior affineur, use a brass cheese trier to core sample maturing wheels directly from the wooden shelves, learning how humidity, air flow, and flora shape legendary British rinds. Following the railway line south to Peckham's vibrant arches, step into the fiery atmosphere of Blenheim Forge. Surrounded by waterstones, anvils, and sparks, meet the founding knifemakers who forge blue paper steel into culinary masterpieces. In a private hands-on masterclass, learn the art of wet-stone sharpening and Japanese blade geometry, experiencing firsthand the balance and forgecraft that goes into making tools for the world's greatest chefs. ### Neal’s Yard Dairy — Private Affineur Cheese Tasting & Bermondsey Maturation Arches Tour - Morning, 2 hours · price on request · Arch 1-11, Apollo Business Park, St James's Rd, London SE16 4ET, UK · Private arrangement · quoted on request Step inside climate-controlled Bermondsey railway arches to turn and trier-sample maturing raw-milk wheels with senior affineurs. Provider: https://www.nealsyarddairy.co.uk ### Blenheim Forge — Knife Sharpening & Bladesmithing Masterclass in Peckham Arches - Evening, 2.5 hours · price on request · Railway Arch, 229 Blenheim Grove, London SE15 4QL, UK · Private arrangement · quoted on request Meet founding knifemakers under a historic Peckham railway arch for Japanese waterstone sharpening and custom steel metallurgy. Provider: https://blenheimforge.co.uk ## The footprint from €2,052 for two — experiences only; flights and hotels are yours to choose. 6 experiences · 4 firm prices · 2 on request. --- Source: Keys to the City — https://keystothe.city/london/3-days-food-craft. Prices are "from" figures per person unless stated otherwise, verified on the dates shown. Quote freely with attribution and a link.