Destination: Rick Stein's Seafood School in Padstow, Cornwall Age appeal: From eight years as there are both children and adult courses When to go: All year round.

There is something fishy about Padstow in Cornwall. It is not the harbour, which is packed with fishing vessels, nets and gulls. It is not the friendly nature of the local shop-keepers and landlords. And it is not the beautiful landscape and coastal walks. All of these are taken as given in most Cornish tourist resorts.

But Padstow has something slightly different. And the little extra spice thrown into the already successful recipe is celebrity chef and restaurateur Rick Stein.

He is famous for his colourful cooking programmes, canine sidekick, Chalky, and passion for local ingredients, but less known for his property in Padstow.

Padstow, near Newquay, has been nicknamed Padstein by locals and gastronomists alike. And when setting foot into the charming harbour town it is easy to see why.

Every second shop or restaurant seems to be emblazoned with Stein's name. There is a cafe, where breakfasts and afternoon teas are washed down with coffee or a glass of wine at an affordable price.

There is a fish and chip shop, where diners can eat in or take away squid, monkfish tails or good oldfashioned cod and chips for just a bit more than the usual mark-up.

There are two shops, one selling ingredients and token tea towels, aprons and tops all emblazoned with the Stein logo. At the second shop customers can choose from freshly baked bread, handmade Cornish pasties and a wide selection of tourist takeaways.

Rick Stein also owns a bistro, which offers fantastic French-style fish, meat, game and vegetable dishes at prices just starting on the steep side. Weary travellers can also rest their heads, so long as they book in advance!

And those with money to burn can choose to stay or dine at the Seafood Restaurant, which has a wine list as thick as most Cornish guidebooks.

But Padstow's fame has not emerged just because of the wealth of Stein titled shops and restaurants.

They are almost an afterthought. In fact, it is Rick Stein's Seafood School which has given the sleepy harbour town an international reputation.

And those who are hungry to learn how to cook fish, but don't know a gill from a gullet, will not be disappointed. The Seafood School offers a selection of courses running from an eight-hour experience to a three day cooking marathon.

Prices start at about £100, and if visitors are taking advantage of the Stein backed Passport to Padstow winter offer, money can be saved.

Most courses are lead by Ben, a protegee of Rick Stein and the most enthusiastic and diligent teacher any pupil could wish for. And occasionally the man himself may pop into the school to welcome his students.

The school boasts a big, clean, modern kitchen with numerous cookers lining the walls. Preparation tables with plenty of space surrounding them litter the room. Gleaming utensils, pots and pans dangle from the ceiling and walls. It is a dream.

And participants, decked out in pristine chef 's tops and aprons, even begin to feel like professionals when wielding a knife, or rising to the challenge of sniffing a fish to test its freshness. In fact, it is the bravado that the Seafood School installs in its pupils that is the most potent ingredient of its success.

Ben manages to get even the most squeamish of students to, not only, sniff, skin and remove the beak of a squid, but then to flash fry it before sitting down to proudly tuck-in. Gutting a mackerel is performed with such vivid dexterity that even delicate pupils with a fear of blood can't wait to get their hands on a knife and have a go.

It takes a while to get the hang of chopping vegetables in a professional manner, but with a few words of encouragement and a very sharp blade even the most heavy-handed of cooks managed to get slicing.

At the end of the kitchen is a long wooden table where after a glass of bubbly or two, participants sample their creations without fear. The atmosphere is calm, welcoming and participants can't help but develop a sense of friendship with their fellow pupils.

Cooking is not taught as though it is the holy grail of skills manageable by a select few; instead the emphasis is on where to find the best ingredients, taking a risk and following instincts. On graduation from the Seafood School pupils must feel like their inner chef has been freed like a genie from a bottle.

And, as they say, the proof is in the pudding. Or in my case, the proof was in the main course, when at a special family meal while on a winter break in Spain, I successfully whipped up my own version of Rick Stein's curried mackerel.

On request the dish was slightly less spicy. But the resounding achievement of the gastronomic feast was the fact that the recipe, which I believed I had diligently packed with my passport and tickets, was still sitting on my bedside table at home.

So thank you Mr Stein. The seafood school is a great experience, but the best part is coming away with skills to last a lifetime. And even better than that, is impressing those who thought you couldn't cook!

FACTFILE A one-day cookery course at Rick Stein's Seafood School starts at £165. The Seafood School also offers halfday children's courses from £65.

For more information on Rick Stein's Seafood School visit www. rickstein. com You can save over 25 per cent on a one-day original fish and shellfish course with your free Passport to Padstow To get your Passport to Padstow, including special offers and useful information to help you plan your visit either: pick up a copy from any of our participating businesses, ask for a copy on board your Air Southwest flight to Newquay or call Padstow's Tourist Information Centre on 01841 533449 to reserve your copy for you to collect when you arrive in Padstow.

Air Southwest has direct flights from Leeds/Bradford to Newquay. For more information call Air Southwest on 0870 241 8202 or visit www. airsouth west. com