Jean Christophe Novelli is considering setting up his own television production company to make a series about his cookery school when it opens in February next year.

The Michelin-starred chef, who said he was also in discussions with the BBC, commented: “I am studying many options about how to make the programmes.”

Groups of up to ten students will pay £250 plus accommodation costs to spend 24 hours with the French chef at his 14th century Hertfordshire farmhouse near Luton. Novelli said: “They are with me all the time - if they don’t want to go to bed, we will stay in the kitchen all night talking.”

Since buying the three-acre property eighteen months ago, the 43-year-old chef patron of the Auberge du Lac restaurant at Brocket Hall has spent £200,000 expanding the original six-bedroom house to accommodate guests. Further refurbishment work will cost £300,000.

by Tom Bill

Buy this week's Caterer magazine for more industry news and analysis