Head back to school this fall with delicious adult evening or weekend cooking classes. Whether you want to become a master chef in your own kitchen or just enjoy a fun night out, Vancouver’s cooking classes offer something for everyone.
NorthWest Culinary Academy
Located in Vancouver’s hip Main Street corridor, NorthWest Culinary Academy in addition to their professional training programs offers amateur chefs the opportunity to take their skills to the next level. The “Culinary Enthusiast” course consists of eight classes held on Tuesday evenings from 6:15pm to 9:15pm and starts on Sept. 15th. The course covers essential culinary techniques including knife skills, stocks, soups, salads, sauces, poaching, pan frying, basic bread-making, hand-made pasta, and ancient grain cooking. At the end of each class, enjoy dining on dishes created that evening along with a paired glass of wine. Price: $850.08
NorthWest Culinary Academy’s popular “Cook your way around the Globe” classes held on Monday nights start October 19th and run consecutively for four weeks. Learn how to expertly debone a chicken, filet whole fish and cook live lobster as well as how to turn each ingredient into a gourmet meal. At the end of the evening, enjoy the labour of your hard work with a glass of paired wine. Price: 4 classes for $399.99 or $119.00 individually. See NorthWest Culinary Academy website for full details. 2725 Main Street. (604) 876-7653
Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts
Photo Credit: Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts
Vancouver’s beloved Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts is located at the gates of Granville Market and offers both fun Friday evening cooking classes as well as Saturday hands-on technique classes for the serious amateur. All of the classes are taught by the school’s own professional chef instructors.
This fall, fun Friday night classes include: “A Wok-ing tour of Southeast Asia”, “Bones and All-Butchery Basics” and “Yay for Beaujolais”. Each class ends with sitting down to enjoy a multi-course meal. Price: $130.00 to $160.00. See website for full details.
For those serious about learning the art of pastry and baking, PICA offers “Basics in 8: A Baking and Pastry Skill Building Series” which starts Saturday September 12th from 10am -2pm and runs consecutively for 8 weeks. Price: $950.00
101-1505 West 2nd Avenue. (Entrance to Granville Island Public Market). (604) 734-4488
Pastry Training Centre of Vancouver
While professionally accredited courses are available, The Pastry Training Centre of Vancouver is in high demand for their individual classes. Dreamed of making your own bread? Artisan bread classes will have you baking bread at home and contemplating opening a bakery. Other classes include Cake Decorating and the Art of French Macarons. Price: Individual classes from $225.00. See Pastry Training Centre of Vancouver website for full details. 818 Renfrew Street. (604) 569-1680
University of British Columbia Culinary Arts
Taught by professional chefs, UBC’s cooking classes have the added bonus of hanging out at the brand new Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre before heading off to class.
For the serious home chef, The Cooking Essentials Series starts October 6th and is comprised of five classes, held consecutively on Tuesday evenings from 6pm-9pm. Students will learn the foundations of cooking as well as culinary techniques. Price: $570.00 for the series of 5 classes or $137.00 per class. See University of British Columbia Culinary Arts website for full details.
Also in the fall, UBC offers 2 cooking classes series: French Bistro Cuisine on Mondays starting October 5th and Southern European Cuisine on Thursdays starting October 29th from 6pm-9pm. Each evening ends with students enjoying a multi-course dinner paired with wine characteristic to each region. Price: $450.00 for the series of 5 classes or $100.00 for individual classes. See University of British Columbia Culinary Arts website for full details. UBC Point Grey Campus: Food, Nutrition and Health Building. (604) 822-1444
The Dirty Apron Cooking School
For those who love fine dining, Dirty Apron Cooking School is a must visit. Former Chambar Sous-Chef, David Robertson along with his wife Sara, opened this state of the art cooking school in a beautifully restored heritage building in 2009 in downtown Vancouver’s Gastown neighborhood. Add to their sold out classes booked months in advance, a best-selling cookbook and a gourmet deli, the Dirty Apron is definitely Vancouver’s “it” cooking school. Splurge- Dirty Apron Cooking School offers a gourmet night out where you participate in the making of the meal and is perfect for date night. If you book now, you might just be able to grab a spot before the Christmas holidays. Price: $158.00+ per class. See The Dirty Apron Cooking School website for full details. 540 Beatty Street. (604) 879-8588
Gourmet Warehouse
A Vancouver institution, Gourmet Warehouse is a must destination for chefs, gourmands and home cooks. Their fun cooking classes are held on Saturdays and Sundays from 11am-2pm. Gourmet Warehouse’s fall line-up includes: Turkish Kitchen, Cooking from a Modern Butcher, Canning and Crazy for Cookies. Price: $59.00 per class. See Gourmet Warehouse website for full details. 1340 East Hastings Street. (604) 253-3022
Barbara-Jo’s Books to Cooks
One of the best ways to learn to cook, is by reading and trying recipes from cookbooks. Barbara-Jo’s Books to Cooks, Vancouver’s only dedicated cookbook store holds special events through-out the year. Meet and hear from cookbook authors and enjoy cooking demonstrations. While not a cooking class, these magical evenings will have you inspired to cook at home with your new cookbook. Highlights this fall include cookbook authors, Nigella Lawson, Mireille Guiliano, Michael Roux and Delia Smith. Price from $65.00 including signed cookbook. See Barbara-Jo’s Books to Cooks website for full details. 1740 West 2nd Avenue. (604)-688-6755
Homesteaders Emporium
This delightful emporium in East Vancouver, is a go to destination for “urban homesteading”. In addition to selling supplies, The Homesteaders Emporium holds regular workshops. Their fall line-up includes canning, baking bread, curing meats, and making kimchi. Workshops range from $15.00 to $55.00 and are an affordable and excellent way to learn how to can, brine, bake and more in your own kitchen. Workshops are held on week-day evenings and on the weekends. See Homesteaders Emporium website for full listing of fall workshops. 649 East Hastings Street. (604) 568-7675
