Home Food & Drink Yorkshire Private Chef Launches Food and Activity Retreats

Yorkshire Private Chef Launches Food and Activity Retreats

Michaela Hanna (left) with retreat guests

Yorkshire chef and Masterchef: The Professionals contestant, Michaela Hanna has launched her immersive food and activity experiences in the UK.

With M’s countryside retreats offer an immersive getaway experience with activities such as cycling, running, and walking – guided by professional coaches. As well as eating and learning about delicious food to expand your culinary knowledge.

Based in North Yorkshire, With M also offers private and group cooking lessons, bespoke events and retreats, corporate away days, masterclasses, and demonstrations.

Michaela is a former Head of Branding and Events at Welcome to Yorkshire and Events Project Manager at Help for Heroes, with over ten years of experience managing and organising events. In addition, she’s worked in professional kitchens throughout her career.


Michaela began her self-employment journey in 2019, becoming a freelance private chef – delivering private cooking classes and professional chef services at private events and in people’s homes all over the UK.

Earlier this year, she realised the potential to bring her love of cooking, activities and event organising together, to create short retreats for people to enjoy that are truly unforgettable. From there, her active gourmet getaway company, With M was born.

On her inspiration behind With M, Michaela explains: “I began cooking at a young age and I truly believe I was born to feed people. It brings me so much joy and I’ve always loved my cooking career. I grew up living in various countries around the world that exposed me to many different cuisines and experiences that nurtured my love for cooking for people even more, but also my passion for wanting to create memorable experiences.”

“After many years working as a professional chef and in hospitality and events management, I was seeking more purpose and freedom to pursue other passions that a job in a professional kitchen couldn’t give me. Working for myself, I’ve been able to build more meaningful relationships with the people I cook for and truly enjoy the experience, their reactions to the food I’ve cooked for them and help them learn more about cooking and food.”

The With M experiences provide a range of getaways in beautiful remote locations across the Yorkshire Dales, allowing guests to truly switch off and get away from the hustle and bustle of modern life, whilst enjoying some of their favourite activities. Throughout 2022, Michaela will be running her gourmet food and activity retreats, where she cooks delicious meals for guests and provides professional cooking demonstrations.

Each experience has dedicated activities to enjoy, such as professional wine tasting, star-gazing with astronomers in dark sky reserves and guided activities by well-known professionals in their field. As well as fitness-focused activities such as hill walking or mountain biking with Mark Airey BEM and running holidays with Hannah Rayner, A UK Athletics qualified coach in running and fitness, to name a few.

Michaela added: “Despite living in many different places in my life, I’m a true Yorkshire lass at heart, which is why I run the majority of our retreats in the Dales, to showcase the beauty and hidden gems of Yorkshire, that even locals don’t always get to experience. This also means we can get other local businesses involved too, such as activity coaches, food suppliers, and hospitality.”

In early 2022, With M is hosting a run and brunch event on 22 January, a feasting and running staycation from 4-7 March and a feasting and mountain biking retreat from 25-29 April, with more events set to join the schedule in the new year.