Sharpening your culinary skills is a great way to learn new recipes and bring some excitement to the dinner table. If you don’t know the difference between saute, braise and blanch, the Central Coast is home to some cooking classes with teachers ready to show you how to add a dash of something special to make your home cooking really sing.
Whether you’re wanting to take up a new hobby, hone your skills or simply learn how to take your family dinners to the next level, these cooking classes will have you saying “buonissimo” like a pro in no time.
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1. Julie’s Place
Famed MasterChef winner, Julie Goodwin has set up a cooking school to pass on her talents. Julie’s Place is home to a variety of different specialty classes including a kids cooking camp for the little ones, a Spanish fiesta where one can become a master of the paella, a tart making class, a gluten free lesson, a Thai feast and plenty more. For those really wanting to get a first hand masterclass from the queen of the kitchen herself, guests can book in a special Cooking with Julie Goodwin class where you can learn from the best of the best.
370 Mann Street, North Gosford
2. Lori’s Sense For Taste
Chef Lori really is passionate about helping you find your sense for taste by teaching some pearls of wisdom about flavour, cooking and even how to turn your leftovers into a work of art. Lori’s Sense of Taste classes take place in her teaching kitchen and run for 3 hours. These specialised culinary lessons will focus on Italian, Mediterranean, Thai, Malaysian, Vietnamese or Chinese – guests are invited to choose what kind of menu they’d like to make ahead of time. After putting in the hard yards cooking up a storm you’ll be able to enjoy your dishes by dining with the class afterwards.
Corner of Serpentine Road and Terrigal Drive, Terrigal
3. FoodWorx Coaching
If you have a family member who requires a specialty diet or if you’ve been wanting to incorporate some healthier options to weeknight dinners, FoodWorx Coaching can help. Their workshops and classes are designed to teach students the benefits of wholefood and plant-based diets. While learning from the teachers you’ll soon realise that healthy eating doesn’t need to be boring – in fact it can be really fun and very tasty. Whether you’re wanting to learn how to sugar-free bake, ferment for gut health or make flavour-filled vegan dishes, the team at FoodWorx Coaching will be able to guide you with expert tips and tricks.
7 Antree Place, Wamberal
4. Central Coast Cooking School
Award-winning chef, Cameron Cansdell has opened the doors to his cooking school to pass on his years of industry experience. If you’ve always wanted to roast a duck, poach tuna in olive oil or make a confit, at Central Coast Cooking School you’ll become master of your kitchen in no time. Take a curry class, prepare an Italian feast or simply head along to one of Cameron’s demonstration masterclasses where top guest chef’s frequently pop by to pass on tips of their own. The next time you have friends over for dinner you’ll be able to wow and impress with your brand new fine dining cooking skills. Throughout the year classes are placed into the schedule however these book out very quickly so be sure to keep an eye out on their website to become first in best dressed.
Contact Central Coast Cooking School for location details.
5. Majors Lane Cooking School
If you’re willing to travel a little bit further away from home to learn some incredible cooking skills, we promise the drive to Majors Lane Cooking School will be well worth the trek. While it might not be smack bang in the middle of the Central Coast, this Lovedale cooking school makes our list because it’s just so damn good. Lovedale’s chef and pitmaster extraordinaire, Ben Sales runs the classes outside within the beautiful surrounds of the Hunter Valley. Soon you’ll become just as passionate about food and as confident in the kitchen as Ben. Come for the cooking class and stay for the wine.
64 Majors Lane, Lovedale
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