If you've ever lived in the Annex, you might remember Dish Cooking Studio from the cosy former location beside a dry cleaner near Dupont and Spadina. Oh, how times have changed. No longer hidden, but definitely still a gem, the new space on College has become a go-to space for big name chefs and brands to stage demos. As for the classes, they're even cooler than the space. Examples include the upcoming gelato-making session with Death in Venice, and a crash course in Italian comfort food called From Nonna's Kitchen. Forget Netflix and chill: date night cooking classes at Dish are the new #relationshipgoals. Taking the old cliche of cooking school as singles' meat market and turning it on its head, these hands-on sessions tackle multi-course menus you'll want to recreate at home. Upcoming themes include Asian street food, east coast cooking and autumn in PEC (and by that, they mean cooking with wine).
iYellow Wine Club is celebrating 10 years in the biz, but with over 20,000 members, you'd swear they've been around longer. Whether you know the club from their pop-ups around town or their guided forays into wine country, chances are you've heard of them. These days, founder Angela Aiello says that classes—held in their cool subterranean wine cave—are the most popular thing they do. There are about 20 per semester, covering everything from Wine 101 to sabrage (as in, how to open a bottle of bubbly with a sword). Class fees are kept low, and the price of admission includes extra goodies like popcorn and a bespoke paired snack board from Cheese Boutique. No wonder the regulars are so fiercely loyal...
BareBones teaches bartending without the bullshit. Try this on for size: classes are so in-depth you could step into a bar job the next day, at prices so decent you won't feel like a tool if you're only in it to further a hobby. (The full online and hands-on program will set you back a cool $99. Where was this when we were picking colleges?) If you're not looking for a career change, then one of their evening cocktail workshops should do the trick. Think half-party, half-learning experience: you'll walk out with some solid bartending know-how, and a few awesome drinks under your belt. Past workshop themes include classic cocktails, tiki drinks and sours. Sign us up...
Bonnie Gordon College of Confectionary Arts
Eglinton West
Fancy yourself an ace of cakes? Time to put your skills to the test: class is in session, and Bonnie Gordon is @thecakedean. By day, Toronto’s OG of cake design—and her team of brilliant instructors—share their wisdom with the next generation of pastry and confectionary whiz kids. The courses are demanding, but if the student cakes on display are anything to go by, hard work clearly pays off. On weekends, the north Toronto college holds one-day sessions in everything from mastering macarons to designing your own wedding cake. Those workshops are great if baking is your preferred escape, but if you'd rather parlay your passion all the way to a new career, Bonnie’s got you covered: the new weekend-long pre-diploma course lets you dip a toe into the sweet life. What have you got to lose?
Piq styles itself as "a social marketplace for cooking classes," but don't write it off for the tech jargon. Here's the deal: local chefs (and the odd foodie) open their homes to teach incredible classes in their areas of expertise. We're talking specialized: you can learn to make the ultimate Tom Kha Gai from an internationally trained chef who works at the Ritz Carlton, or the art of Indian cooking with a chef from Bombay. There's even a class on raw Italian food (who knew?) with a local health guru. Classes are kept small, and locations are only revealed once you sign up, so there's a fun element of exclusivity as well. The best part? It's incredibly affordable.
We've all been there: you leave a cooking class feeling totally triumphant and ready to replicate all the night's tasty creations. But when the weekend rolls around you can't find half the ingredients, and besides, your kitchen's not nearly as well stocked. Enter The Chef and the Dish... Thanks to founder Jenn Nicken, this Toronto-based culinary platform connects foodies with top chefs around the globe via Skype, meaning you learn in your own kitchen. Before you even book a class, you'll be able to check that you have all the necessary gadgets on hand. (So if you're into stuffed pasta, for example, it's time to get a pasta maker.) The international aspect of the platform means that times can be a little odd, but then, that's half the fun. Grab a friend or three—and a bottle of wine—and get your cook on.
