The approaching fall weather means coming inside from the patio for entertainment and family meals indoors. To prepare, why not brush up on your culinary skills and head back to the classroom this fall to expand your repertoire at the following Toronto cooking schools. You can also check out the St. Lawrence Market kitchen, which offers an Executive Chef Series for the fall at its new facility.
Nella Cucina Cooking School
A well-established Annex retailer of culinary instruments, Nella Cucina operates a cooking school located around the corner on Bathurst Street. The school offers a number of classes, three hours in length, scheduled on evenings and weekends including Traditional Thai, Mediterranean Cooking, Classic French Fare, Moroccan Cooking, Soups & Stews, Back to School 30 Minute Meals, Baking Workshop, Pie Baking and Knife Skills. Classes are offered as hands-on individual for more intense learning or hands-on team in a more casual environment and range from $95-$125 plus taxes per person.
Calphalon Culinary Center
Located at King and Spadina, Calphalon Culinary Center offers cooking demonstrations and hands-on cooking classes for singles and couples. Many classes are after work from 6 to 9 p.m. The couples cooking classes on Friday evenings, which includes Thai, French, Mexican, Mediterranean, Asian and Italian cooking costs $300 per couple per session. Cooking classes geared to individuals include Chicken 101, Beef 101, Thai Time and Indian Cuisine and cost $150 per person per evening. Basic Skills, Knife Skills and Classic Desserts are also offered.
George Brown College Chef School
The training ground of many local chefs, George Brown College Cooking School offers a variety of cooking classes ranging from one day to 12 weeks such as Thai Cuisine, which is taught Tuesday evenings over 12 weeks and costs $547.74. George Brown offers cooking for specialty diets such as Gluten-Free (6 weeks – $312.94) and Glycemic Index cooking, as well as classics including Southern Italian cooking, Spanish Regional cuisine, fish, pasta, pizza, tofu and meat substitutes, tapas, spa cuisine, cake-baking, pastry and pies.
Dish Cooking Studio
Popular chef and caterer Trish Magwood of The Food Network’s Party Dish runs the Dish Cooking Studio at 390 Dupont Street and offers demos and hand-on cooking classes including French Countryside Classics, Seasonal Cuisine and Vegetarian Cooking, which covers the preparation of black-eyed peas and squash soup, wild mushroom risotto, sweet tomato tart and eggplant strata. The Friday night Date Night series includes “Roman Holiday” where participants learn to make their own pasta. Classes range from $75-$135 plus HST per person.
The Big Carrot Natural Health Market
The Big Carrot has been offering one of the widest selections of natural health food in Toronto since 1983, including organically grown and GMO-free products. The Big Carrot offers Nettie’s Introduction to Vegetarian Cooking over five Monday evenings beginning in the fall for $350 plus HST. Single Monday and Tuesday evening classes include a focus on the Anti-Inflammatory Diet, Fermented Foods, Introduction to Vegetarian Indian Cuisine, quinoa and casseroles. Classes are $70 plus HST and limited to 8 people.
