The National Trust has used local help to help its top chefs develop innovative menus using locally-sourced, seasonal and sustainable ingredients at its properties across the country.

Ten chefs from the National Trust’s Food Innovation Group travelled to The School of Artisan Food — a not-for-profit organisation and registered charity dedicated to teaching skills in all aspects of sustainable and artisan food production — on the Welbeck Estate to start a partnership between the two organisations.

The school’s food experts worked with 10 National Trust chefs for several days on cheesemaking, breadmaking, venison butchery, gnocchi and risotto.

“We are passionate about developing a seasonal and sustainable food culture, so working with the National Trust’s chefs means we can spread the gospel far and wide,” said Julie Byrne, managing director at The School of Artisan Food.

“We can help them develop their skills and that means better menus and better food for the millions of people who visit their wonderful properties every year.”

Courses will run several times each year for National Trust chefs as part of a long-term partnership agreement to develop their skills in butchery, brewing, charcuterie, chocolate-making, patisserie and more.

Returning to Trust properties around the country, the chefs will in turn train other kitchen and catering staff in the new techniques and approach.

Tim Howard, food and beverage development manager at the National Trust, said: “The National Trust is committed to using responsibly-sourced ingredients with provenance.

“The butchery workshop used venison from the National Trust’s Ashridge Estate in Hertfordshire, where the team there manage the estate’s population of deer to support nature conservation.

“We are delighted to have partnered with Welbeck, an organisation that we feel shares our food values.”

The School of Artisan Food runs dozens of short courses each year to teach practical food skills as well as the UK’s only FDQ-accredited, full-time Advanced Diploma in Baking.

It has recently launched a new Artisan Business Start-Up Certificate, which teaches students practical skills and the opportunity to test their ideas with experts.