About Us
Learn about the people behind La Vaquerie Farm
The story of La Vaquerie
For nearly twenty years, we’ve had the great privilege of bringing students to Normandy through Berridge Programs. Somewhere along the way, France stopped being simply the place where we ran our programs and became home.
Living here has changed us in ways we probably didn’t anticipate. We’ve learned to pay more attention to the seasons, to where our food comes from, to the pleasure of making something well and, perhaps most of all, to the importance of making time for other people. So many of our happiest moments here have happened around a table.
When we found La Vaquerie, we could imagine creating a home around those things. A place to cook, grow things, welcome people, learn from our neighbours and share a little of the life we’ve come to love.
We hope you’ll make yourself at home here, and that when you leave, a little of this place stays with you too.
We look forward to welcoming you to our table.
Chris & Andrea
Founders and Guest Chefs
ANDREA MARDON - FOUNDER
Andrea first came to Normandy in 2007 and fell in love with the place. She founded Berridge Programs the following year and has been creating programs here ever since.
An artist, gardener and mindfulness practitioner, Andrea is interested in the way our surroundings shape how we live. France changed the way she thought about food, not just what to cook, but how food can connect us to the seasons, to where we live and to each other. That idea became one of the inspirations behind La Vaquerie.
CHRIS GAGGIA - FOUNDER
Chris is a passionate cook and avid outdoorsman who believes some of the most useful things in life are learned by doing them. He studied Creative Writing, but got much of his education through climbing, teaching high school, and working at Patagonia for 9 years as a Marketing Director.
Whether he's cooking dinner, heading outside or teaching someone a new skill, Chris brings the same philosophy: be curious, get involved, figure things out and don't be afraid to try. It's an approach that has shaped both LifeCOOK and life at La Vaquerie.
BOGDAN SILAGHI - GUEST CHEF
Bogdan has cooked on our programs for over a decade and now lives year-round in Normandy. Originally from Romania, he spent many years in London working as both an actor and a chef while completing an MA in Acting.
Bogdan is an intuitive cook who loves getting students into the kitchen and cooking alongside them. For him, food is something to enjoy, experiment with and share. He believes in knowing how to feed yourself well, taking pleasure in the process, and making enough to bring other people to the table.
RAY GAGGIA - GUEST CHEF
Ray first came to Berridge as a student before returning as a staff member, so he knows what it means to learn here from both sides of the kitchen. A passionate foodie, he is currently completing his culinary training in Ventura, California, by building his experience in professional kitchens.
Ray especially loves baking, cake making and desserts, and brings a sense of fun and experimentation to the kitchen. He loves trying new things, sharing what he's learning and getting students excited about making something delicious themselves.
JAMES BOKEE
James trained at the Escoffier School in the United Kingdom before making Normandy his home. Over more than four decades in hospitality, he has owned and managed restaurants and hotels, run catering businesses and taught culinary arts to aspiring chefs.
James brings the foundations of classical cooking into the LifeCOOK kitchen, but always with an eye on what students can actually use. He loves sharing the techniques, little tricks and understanding that make cooking easier, helping students see that good food comes from mastering a few fundamentals and learning to trust yourself from there.
Partnership with Berridge Programs
For nearly two decades, Berridge Programs has welcomed students to France through programs rooted in community, creativity, and cultural immersion.
La Vaquerie Farm is operated by Chris Gaggia and Andrea Mardon, who together founded Cooking & Culture and LifeCOOK. Andrea is also the founder of Berridge Programs. Cooking & Culture is based at La Vaquerie Farm and offered in partnership with Berridge Programs, which manages admissions, enrollment, and academic partnerships.