Feel like expanding your repertoire in the kitchen? Want to impress a special someone with a perfectly presented menu of delicacies but need a little inspiration? Plan a night out around one of these cooking classes. You’ll learn new skills, have fun and get to eat your beautiful creations.
Date Night
Cooking at the Cottage classes include everything from sessions for kids to corporate classes, but I often think of it as a great date night option. At the Lexington Road shop, the classes that are specifically designated “Date Night” fill up very fast. They’re oriented for teams of two and feature a menu including everything from appetizer to indulgent dessert, which you can recreate together at home. A class is a great way to learn quick kitchen skills from and pick the brains of favorite chefs from Louisville restaurants, including Porcini and Limestone. The current schedule includes classes running through July, so register now.
Go International
The Picarescala Culinary Institute pairs you with a guest chef who guides you through prepping and cooking foods with international flair. Each month, the Institute adds a new set of classes organized around cuisine from a number of countries. Coming up during June, participants will enjoy French, Italian or Latin American cooking experiences (registration for these is closed, so be ready for the July classes). The cooking class series is a creation of the Los Monitos Language Company. During the classes, held at Los Monitos at Asia Institute Crane House, don’t be surprised if you hear a fair amount of French, Italian, Spanish or any number of other languages being spoken – or at least practiced. Find out more and register at Los Monitos.
Classy Classes
Did you know that the Williams-Sonoma store offers a fair number of kitchen technique and cooking classes? The in-store kitchen setup is to die for, and you can play around in it for free during the technique classes. Summer offerings include barbecuing and grilling, cocktails and ice cream making. These classes are really quite good and participants get a small discount on store purchases the day of class. Williams-Sonoma also offers more in-depth cooking classes that have a registration fee. Check the class schedule here and call the local store to register.
Friday Fun
Make the second Friday of every month more fun with a lunchtime cooking class at Limestone. In just over an hour, you can fit in a three-course cooking demonstration by Louisville favorite, Chef Jim Gerhardt. You get to eat the creations, then take home all the recipes. You are out the door, tax and gratuity included, for $25. You just cannot beat that. The June 13th Lunch Lesson is “That’s Italian.”
Make Mid-Week Special
Chef Mary Wheatley offers her Cook with Mary classes on topics ranging from what to do with the bounty you brought home from the Farmer’s Market to pairing wine, cheese and chocolate (genius!). Make Tuesday night special with two hours spent with fellow food lovers. Check the schedule and call or email to register. Mary also welcomes custom cooking class requests, so don’t be shy about inquiring.
Photo: Shutterstock Copyright: Arina P Habich
