What happens when you stop asking a recipe what to cook and start asking the garden?
With Melina Hammer (Cookbook author Catbird Cottage) & Sophie de Jong (Chef and Regenerative Farmer at The Farming Chefs)
9-16 May 2027
With Melina Hammer (Cookbook author Catbird Cottage) & Sophie de Jong (Chef and Regenerative Farmer at The Farming Chefs)
Set in the rural Beira Baixa region of Portugal, the retreat takes place within the world of The Farming Chefs: a regenerative farm where food is grown, harvested, cooked, preserved and shared. May is a particularly beautiful moment here. The landscape is green, the gardens are alive with spring growth, and the kitchen can draw from an abundance of herbs, flowers, greens, roots, peas, radishes, beets, eggs and farm-raised ingredients.
This is not a week of standing behind a workstation reproducing somebody else’s recipes. It is a week of learning how to think like a cook.
We will explore how to walk into a garden, market or kitchen, look at what is actually available and build a meal from there. You will learn to notice flavour, texture, ripeness, acidity, sweetness, bitterness, temperature and contrast; to make adjustments as you cook; and to understand why a dish works rather than simply memorising how it was made.
The central theme joins two ideas that sit at the heart of both Melina’s work and The Farming Chefs’ philosophy: cooking with whatever is available and in season, and developing greater confidence and intuition to cook without being dependent on recipes.
• All tuition fees for
• 7 nights’ accommodation in a beautifully restored Portuguese Mill by the Basagda River featuring:
– Beautifully renovated rooms
– Wonderful Breakfast spread
– Wifi Free Rooms to unwind
– A Swimming Pool
– A Private Tennis court
– A Wood Fired Sauna
• All meals, including:
– Daily breakfast (catered or enjoyed with your own creations)
– Delicious lunches or meals created during the cooking workshops
– Gourmet evening dinners prepared by Filipe da Cunha from The Farming Chefs or cooked together during guided sessions with Sophie or Melina.
• A celebratory “family-style feast” Cooking workshop on the final evening, showcasing all the skills learned throughout the week
• Local wine served with selected lunches and dinners
• Private group transfers to and from Lisbon Airport on arrival and departure days
• Transport for all scheduled excursions and from the Farm to the Villa daily.
• Free day to explore local UNESCO village Idanha Nova.
• Staff on-site to support with service, setup, assistance during workshops, and a smooth, seamless retreat experience
Melina Hammer is the award-winning author of A Year at Catbird Cottage, a love letter to the seduction of food and the pleasures of eating with the seasons. She is also a food stylist, recipe developer, chef and food photographer, and the owner of Catbird Cottage in upstate New York, where she and her husband host travellers and celebrate their special moments.
At the heart of Melina’s work is soulful, seasonal food. Whether she is cooking at the cottage, creating a supper club menu, gathering wild foods or harvesting from her kitchen garden, she uses what is around her to create joyful nourishment for the people at her table.
Sophie from The Farming Chefs brings the farm-to-table side of the week to life. Our approach begins before the kitchen: with soil, seed, season, harvest and the realities of growing food. Throughout the retreat we will cook with ingredients from the farm and surrounding region and explore how better knowledge of ingredients can make us more capable and creative cooks.
Rather than separating farming from cooking, we bring the two back together. Guests are invited to harvest, taste, observe and cook, experiencing the journey from living soil to shared table
Recipes are useful, but they cannot taste your tomato, smell your herbs, judge the tenderness of your greens or tell you that this year’s peas are sweeter than last year’s. Real cooking asks us to pay attention.
Learning to cook intuitively does not mean abandoning technique. It means understanding technique well enough to adapt it. It means knowing what salt, acid, heat, fat, texture and time are doing, and becoming comfortable making small decisions as a dish develops.
That ability becomes especially powerful when you cook seasonally. A garden does not deliver identical ingredients in identical quantities every week. It gives abundance, scarcity, surprises and short windows of perfection. This retreat is about learning to meet that reality with curiosity rather than frustration.
The price for this immersive culinary art retreat is €4,862 per person, based on a private en suite bedroom.
For those joining with a friend or partner, rooms can also be shared, offering a beautiful opportunity to experience the retreat together. Bed configurations are flexible, with options for either single or double beds to suit your preference.
Our goal is not for you to leave Portugal with a folder full of recipes you may or may not cook again. We want you to leave with something more transferable: a better palate, more confidence, stronger instincts and a deeper understanding of how to turn the ingredients in front of you into a meal.
If you want a culinary retreat where the garden is part of the classroom, meals are part of the conversation and cooking is treated as a living skill rather than a set of instructions, we would love to welcome you to Portugal in May 2027.
Securing Your Spot
To secure your place on the retreat, please click the Retreat Booking button below, complete the form, and pay the deposit. Once the retreat is confirmed you will receive a payment request to pay the the full 50%. The final balance will be due 8 weeks prior to the start of the retreat.
Dates: 9–16 May 2027
Duration: 7 nights
Location: Beira Baixa region, Portugal
Teachers: Melina Hammer + The Farming Chefs
Theme: Seasonal, recipe-free cooking with the senses
Minimum group size: Typically 6 participants; the retreat is confirmed once the required minimum is reached.
Guest price: €4862,50 (It is possible to bring your partner who wants to join without participating in the workshops, please email us)
Maximum group size: 8 participating guests
Accommodation: private or double en-suite
Travel/Transfer: Group airport transport is planned around noon from and to Lisbon Airport; exact meeting time will be communicated after booking.
Price range: 4862,00 € through 9704,00 €
Set in the rural Beira Baixa region of Portugal, the retreat takes place within the world of The Farming Chefs: a regenerative farm where food is grown, harvested, cooked, preserved and shared. May is a particularly beautiful moment here. The landscape is green, the gardens are alive with spring growth, and the kitchen can draw from an abundance of herbs, flowers, greens, roots, peas, radishes, beets, eggs and farm-raised ingredients.
| Retreat Bedrooms | Private Ensuite Room, Shared Double Ensuite Room (with partner/friend) |
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Thank you Sophie and Filipe for one of the best vacation experiences of my life! I was part of the April 2026 cooking/farm retreat and loved every minute of it.
Sophie and Filipe were very welcoming, opened their home to us and shared their vast knowledge; not to mention the delicious meals they prepared for us. Super Yummy! I learned so much and had an active part in all cooking, planting & harvesting.
Our retreat group was diverse, friendly, sharing and fun. Their farming operation was well explained, opened to roaming, in a beautiful setting, and interesting. The whole experience left me motivated towards better eating, to expand my herb garden and to start a small veggie garden again. I felt refreshed and renewed with a huge smile on my face.
The accommodations at the villa were relaxing, warmly welcoming, served delicious breakfast, beautiful river/woods setting with modern conveniences. I loved everything about the retreat. I would recommend it to anyone interested in food or farming, regardless experience or where you live as you are going to learn a lot! Thank you Sophie, Filipe and family for your hospitality, for an unforgettable experience and for your YouTube channel which introduced me to you all.
We had an amazing five-day retreat! Sophie and Filipe radiate positive energy and are incredibly professional and passionate, both on the farm and in the kitchen. Their unique combination of skills made the retreat fun and enriching on every level.
The program was wonderfully varied, with a perfect balance between workshops, enjoying their delicious farm-to-table creations, inspiring information, outings, connection, and free time. We learned so much, especially about regenerative farming practices and soil health; real eye-openers that made us appreciate food and farming even more.
They are flexible and intuitive, easily adapting the program to the needs and energy of the group, creating a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere.
The accommodation was fantastic too. We alternated between the farm and our nature-filled base, but the distance was easy and the change of scenery added to the experience. The place itself is stunning, surrounded by nature with plenty to enjoy during free hours: a swimming pool, sauna, river, tennis court, hiking trails right out the door, and more.
A truly unforgettable experience for anyone who loves real food, nature, and learning about the beauty and importance of regenerative farming.
Melina Hammer is the award-winning author of A Year at Catbird Cottage, as well as a food stylist, recipe developer, chef and food photographer. Her work is rooted in seasonal food, kitchen-garden ingredients, wild foods and the pleasure of creating soulful meals for the people around her.
The farm is part of the classroom. Rather than simply reproducing a series of recipes, you will learn to look at what is growing, taste ingredients at their source, understand what they need and build meals around the season. The goal is to leave with stronger instincts and transferable cooking skills, not simply a collection of recipes.
No. You do not need professional cooking experience. The retreat is designed for people who love food and want to become more confident, resourceful and intuitive in the kitchen.
Recipe-free cooking does not mean cooking without technique. It means learning to understand ingredients, taste as you go and make informed decisions using your senses, rather than depending entirely on fixed instructions.
You will explore flavour balance, texture, acidity, heat, fat, seasoning and seasonality so you can adapt more confidently in your own kitchen.
The exact ingredients will be shaped by the farm and the season. In May we expect a broad variety of herbs, edible flowers, greens, roots, peas, radishes, beets and other spring produce.
Depending on availability, we may also cook with farm eggs and farm-raised chicken, lamb, goat or pork, alongside products sourced from nearby producers.
International or domestic travel to Portugal, personal travel insurance, personal purchases, and drinks or extras outside those specifically included in the retreat programme.
Yes. The retreat is intentionally not over-scheduled. On most teaching days we aim to leave approximately three to four hours for you to rest, swim, read, walk around the farm or simply enjoy some quiet time.
Yes. There is typically one free day during the week. Transport is provided so you can explore a local village or part of the surrounding region at your own pace. The exact destination will be confirmed closer to the retreat.
The retreat takes place in the Beira Baixa region of inland Portugal, near Penamacor.
May is spring in inland Portugal. Days are generally suited to spending time outdoors, while mornings and evenings can feel cooler. We recommend bringing layers, sun protection, comfortable outdoor shoes and swimwear if you would like to use the pool.
Yes. A large part of the experience is connected to the farm, gardens and surrounding landscape. Depending on the day, workshops, harvesting, meals or informal sessions may take place outdoors.
Bedding and towels are provided. Final details about toiletries and hairdryers will be confirmed with the accommodation, and you will receive a practical information pack before arrival.
If you plan to come by car, please let us know in advance. Parking information will be included with the accommodation details.
Laundry facilities are not part of the retreat service. We recommend packing enough clothing for the week.
Portugal uses 230V electricity with standard European Type C/F two-pin plugs. If your country uses different plugs or voltage, bring the appropriate adapter.
Yes. Meals during the retreat programme are included and centred on seasonal, ingredient-led cooking. Some meals grow directly out of the cooking workshops; others are prepared and shared together as part of the retreat experience.
Please tell us about all allergies, intolerances and dietary requirements before booking. We can accommodate many dietary needs, but because this is a highly food-focused retreat built around shared menus and farm ingredients, not every dietary pattern may be possible.
We will confirm with you personally whether we can accommodate your needs safely before your booking is finalised.
Book through the booking form on this page. Your place is secured once the deposit has been paid. The retreat itself is guaranteed once the minimum number of participants has been reached.
Yes. Payment works as follows:
Read the full booking and cancellation terms.
The retreat is guaranteed once the minimum number of participants has booked. We typically work with a minimum of six guests, though this may vary. The maximum group size is 10 participating guests.
Yes. We strongly recommend comprehensive travel insurance that covers travel disruption, medical expenses and cancellation.
Please arrange your travel to Lisbon. Group arrival and departure transport is planned from and to Lisbon Airport. Exact meeting points and times will be sent in the final travel information well before arrival.
Yes. Group pickup and drop-off at Lisbon Airport are included on the arrival and departure days, at around noon.
Exact check-in, check-out, pickup and drop-off times will be shared after booking. Questions? Email thefarmingchefs@gmail.com with the subject "RETREAT INFO".
Possibly. Please contact us before making arrangements so we can advise you on what is possible:
Visa requirements depend on your nationality. EU citizens do not normally need a visa for Portugal. Guests travelling from outside the EU should check the official Portuguese entry requirements before booking travel.
A detailed packing list will be sent 8 weeks before the retreat. In general, bring comfortable clothing, layers for cooler mornings and evenings, sturdy outdoor shoes, sun protection and swimwear.
Where available, selected products such as aprons or recipe books may be available to buy. We will let you know in advance if pre-ordering is recommended.
Portugal uses the Euro (€). Cards are widely accepted, although it is useful to carry a small amount of cash for local purchases.
Ready to Recharge and Enjoy Real Food in Nature?
Cook, connect, and grow in the heart of our regenerative farm.
Real food. Deep rest. Lifelong memories.
