Fans of BBC's Masterchef or Channel 4's The F Wordwill notice the trend is similar in the UK, where home cooks seem to have the impressive ability to turn out restaurant-quality dishes with little or no training. Unless you work in the trade, few of us have formal training in cooking beyond basic home-economics classes that rarely even made the curriculum in boys' schools.

But figures now show more of us are flocking to cookery schools all over the country (and abroad) in our quest for culinary perfection. Alongside daylong demos and weekend courses there's new demand for professional training.

Some participants seek skills to work within the food industry but many just want to bone-up on kitchen basics and develop a solid foundation in cookery techniques.

While Ballymaloe is the undisputed star in this field, with an equally solid reputation on the world stage, its certificate course runs for three months, which may deter some busy folk. Those thinking of a sabbatical or looking for shorter commitment will find month-long courses in Belle Isle, Cooks Academy and the new purpose-built Dublin Cookery School, opening on 21 August. Toques at the readyf Ballymaloe Cookery School, Cork (above) Certificate course (12 wks), 9,195 www. cookingisfun. ie Belle Isle School of Cookery, Fermanagh Essential Cooking (4 wks), 2,400 www. irish-cookery-school. com Cooks Academy, Dun Laoghaire Pro course (4 wks), 2,950 www. cooksacademy. com Dublin Cookery School, Blackrock Cooking for Life certificate course (4 wks), 2,950 www. dublin cookeryschool. ie