Sydney Eat Street: Best food experiences and cooking classes in Sydney
Want to up your cooking game? There are masterclasses on offer around Sydney covering anything from meat and seafood to desserts and even cocktails.
Eat Street
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Cooking at home became a bigger thing during lockdown but you can take it one step further by getting the professionals to help teach you how to cook — or make great cocktails.
Take a tour of Sydney’s best eateries right here with The Sunday Telegraph’s Eat Street. Are you hungry for more inspiration? Follow us on Instagram. #SydneyEatStreet
VIVE COOKING SCHOOL
Whether it’s flash new trainers or pristine power tools, few things are as motivating in your journey to self-improvement as those shiny new toys in a neat and tidy setting.
For those looking to revisit their culinary skills, a fresh set of frying pans is a start, but your efforts will go up in smoke without a decent kitchen.
Rather than a reno, try taking some courses at Vive Cooking School. Their state-of-the-art set-up means you’re less likely to be distracted by fickle appliances and more likely to learn.
Vive’s co-owner Jean-Luc Tan says it also means you’re more likely to enjoy the cooking process if you can share and laugh along the way.
Since opening in 2017, Vive has hosted various classes ranging from ramen masterclasses to molecular cuisine, often led by veteran chefs, including Manu Feildel.
Recently, Sydney Cake Queen Katherine Sabbath held a session recreating some classic Aussie desserts in conjunction with the launch of KitchenAid’s latest honey-coloured appliances.
Belinda Foster, KitchenAid’s in-house chef, says: “We need a quality space to launch our quality products. The kitchen set-up is amazing. And not just the cooktops but also the centre bench,” which she notes is not a common feature in other schools.
“It’s perfect for everyone to come together and work together.”
It seems Jean-Luc’s plan for bringing people together over food has come to fruition.
— The Cannery, Shop 18/ 61-71 Mentmore Ave, Rosebery; vivecookingschool.com.au
THE BIG BAKE: BOOZY BAKING
The entry criteria for The Big Bake is pretty tough: zero experience, one sense of humour and 90 minutes of your time. Oh, and you also need to enjoy a glass of bubbles and a cocktail or two.
Boozy Baking is a fun, new – adult – twist of baking classes and a competition at the former Radley’s Cafe in the Met Centre in the Sydney CBD.
It’s great for a group of friends to try to out-bake each other.
The casual baking competition is hosted by renowned pastry chef and Parisian patissier Ridhi Rahman, who’ll teach keen Sydneysiders some perfect pastry baking techniques.
Each bake-off features multiple different recipes, as well as a surprise recipe for those who want to have a tougher challenge.
The pastry recipes change weekly but Eat Street can confirm the first round includes salted caramel brownies and cheesecake.
Boozy Bake is already up and running and goes until the end of April.
There aren’t too many other sweeter nights out post the COVID-19 lockdown.
Tickets cost $50 per person. You need to buy them online, and bookings are essential.
— 60 Margaret St, Sydney; thebigbakesydney.com
MATT MORAN MASTERCLASSES AT CHOPHOUSE
The ‘steaks’ couldn’t get any higher at the Chophouse where famed Sydney chef, Matt Moran, will be offering a masterclass called Cuts.
Commencing March 10, Moran will provide plenty of tips, tricks and a few fun anecdotes before sharing the best way to prepare local produce and the best of Australia’s meat, including that from the Moran Family Farm.
“When we reopened the doors to Chophouse late last year, we did so with a renewed sense of purpose surrounding what we want to achieve with the venue, and what we want it to say about Australian produce,” Moran says.
“With the launch of our Chophouse masterclass series, it’s all about stripping it back to basics, gathering the community again and learning some simple cooking techniques and flavour combinations that help make the most of our incredible homegrown produce.
“We will be doing so using produce from our amazing local suppliers and an addition that I’m really proud of – the Moran Family Farm dry-aged sirloin.”
Cuts will culminate in Moran plating up a three-course meal, paired with wines selected by sommelier Paul Sadler.
Buy your tickets at the Chophouse website for $195. Tickets are expected to go pretty quickly — so … chop, chop!
— 25 Blight St, Sydney; chophousesydney.com.au
BARBETTA
There are few more versatile staples than pasta. For most of us, preparing it involves finding the marked aisle at the supermarket and possibly a nearby jar of sauce.
But for those keen on taking a step into their Italian cooking adventure, Barbetta Paddington offers various masterclasses that will have you saying Buon appetite in no time.
Carmelo Cipri, a respected chef and co-owner of Barbetta, will guide you through the traditional techniques that will take you from raw ingredients to plated pasta.
Learn how to work the dough, create the best mixture and incorporate a variety of Italian favourites such as farfalle, linguine, fettuccine, spaghetti, orecchiette and strozzapreti.
And it’s not just straight-up pasta either, as other classes focus on lasagne, risotto and arancini as well.
And there’s not much required for these sessions — just some friends, an appetite, comfortable clothes and closed shoes.
The price includes a lesson, recipes, pasta dinner, a glass of vino and take-home pasta.
— 2 Elizabeth St, Paddington; barbetta.com.au
CORNERSMITH COOKING SCHOOL
Fans of fermenting and patrons of pickling take head as the warrior-ess on waste, Cornersmith’s owner, Alex Elliott-Howery, has set up at Carriageworks Farmers Market.
Come Saturday morning, she’ll make sure things get pretty spicy, especially when you learn how to make hot sauces in the Chilli Fiesta class.
You can also learn how to preserve mushrooms, Kimchi and a class on reducing waste and smart shopping at the Sustainable Kitchen session (no wrinkly veggies will end up in the bin ever again!).
The classes will run until April before hitting the road with cooking class activations all over Sydney.
— Cornersmith Cafe, 88 View St, Annandale; cornersmith.com.au; Carriageworks Farmers Market (Saturday, 8am-1pm); 245 Wilson St, Eveleigh; carriageworks.com.au
FOUR PILLARS LABORATORY – GIN BLENDING CLASS
“The Lab cocktail masterclass is a great way to elevate your home bar game,” says James Irvine, Four Pillars’ creative director and bar manager.
“You won’t leave with a certificate to put on the fridge, but you will hopefully pick up some home hacks around making drinks, preserving ingredients and some lighthearted facts about cocktail history and culture, all whilst enjoying a few gin drinks and Made from Gin snacks. Not to mention, you can exit through the Gin Shop for all your home bar needs.”
Four Pillars Sydney Lab’s masterclasses are hosted by one of their top distillers.
The mini-distillation session, Sydney Maker Session, includes a tasting of five signature gins along with ‘Made from Gin’ snacks you’ll get to keep the Sydney Seasonal Gin you distilled ($250pp + booking fee).
There are other masterclasses available so check their website for further information.
— 410 Crown St, Surry Hills; fourpillarsgin.com
SYDNEY CHOCOLATE SCHOOL
The Sydney Chocolate School is offering up the sweetest lessons of all — learning how to make chocolate.
Head chocolatier (a title the envy of everyone with a business card) Rebecca Knights invites you to sign up for their chocolate-making lessons, including tempering chocolate on marble.
Learn how to make chocolate bars, raspberry hearts, lollipops with cacao butter artwork, giant sprinkles.
Once you’ve mastered the art, leave with a chocolate making certificate.
You’ll be following in the footsteps of international superstar Adele, who was taught how to make chocolate during her last tour.
The school offers private or group classes available. For more information and bookings, go to their website.
— Building 21, 1110 Middle Head Rd, Mosman; sydneychocolateschool.com.au
SYDNEY SEAFOOD SCHOOL
No experience necessary, says Sydney Seafood School general manager Roberta Muir of its seafood masterclasses.
“From Singapore’s iconic chilli crab to prawns in a Moroccan chermoula marinade, there’s something for every taste at our new premium hands-on cooking experiences at Sydney Seafood School,” Muir says.
“Whether you’re a complete novice or simply looking to brush up on your culinary skills, we’re thrilled to be welcoming you back into our kitchen to celebrate the many ways of cooking with and enjoying seafood.”
There are few better ways for seafood lovers to spend a few hours.
— Sydney Fish Market, 25 Bank St, Pyrmont; sydneyfishmarket.com.au/Sydney-Seafood-School
VICTOR CHURCHILL BUTCHERY CLASSES
Elegant and awe-inspiring, Victor Churchill in Woollahra is the Versailles of butcheries.
Like the grand palace, this Woollahra institution has welcomed many an artisan through its door, but in the case of this boutique butchery, its medium is meat — be it beef, pork, chicken or other protein.
These premium products need skilled hands, and Victor Churchill’s in-house chef/butcher, Luke Twemlow shows just how it’s done in two different classes.
In Butchery Techniques you’ll learn “the basics”, including how to truss and joint a chicken, butterfly a chicken, debone and roll a lamb leg whilst frenching the shank, and how to score, roll and tie a pork belly roast, followed by a light meal and a glass of wine at the end of the session.
After the three-hour Let’s Cook Meat class you’ll come away with the secrets to preparing perfect steaks and crunchy pork crackling.
Twemlow says: “To showcase Victor Churchill products, we offer and equip you with the skills to enjoy them at their best.”
— Victor Churchill, 132 Queen St, Woollahra;victorchurchill.com
APOTHECA BY ANTHIA TEA AND TISANE BLENDING
If you consider your afternoon cuppa more an experience than a mere caffeine hit, you’ll find your kindred spirit in Anthia Koullouros.
The founder of Ovvio Teas, Anthia has recently launched a new tea and tisane (brewed herbs, spices and other plants) brand, Apotheca by Anthia, and now hosts a hands-on tisane blending workshop.
This two-hour session is a full sensory experience where you’ll learn about the ingredients’ aroma, taste, sensation and therapeutic uses, then choose your own base, create a flavour, and blend for visual appeal. The session concludes with a modern tea ceremony.
Anthia says: “A tea ceremony is a moment in time which allows the participants to immerse themselves in the careful preparation and enjoyment of tea and tisanes.
“In a meditative state, we observe the ingredients as they steep, unfurl and flourish in the water. Steep your tea, pour your tea, sip your tea, savour your tea, explore the flavours and sensations, connect with your heart and be still.
“With tender, gentle infusions and unhurried ceremony, capture a moment or two for solitude and connection”.
— Apotheca by Anthia, 1A Glenmore Rd, Paddington;apothecabyanthia.com
LA FAVOLA PASTA MAKING CLASSES
Animated and gregarious, La Favola’s chef/owner, Fabio Stefanelli is the embodiment of Italian hospitality; his laughter is contagious, his food is delicious, and the portions are beyond generous.
It’s no wonder his cooking classes, which he teaches along with his head chef, Michele Temporin, are so popular.
There’re no pretences here or expectations of perfection, just an honest love of good food.
“So many people are fascinated with Italy and Mediterranean cuisine. It’s the way we just mix all things together”, says Fabio.
In these classes, not only will you learn how to make different types of pasta and different sauces, but you’ll also enjoy a magnificent meal at the end.
“Cooking can be quite social with a group of friends, but also a romantic way to spend time with your partner.”
— La Favola, 170 King St, Newtown;favola.com.au
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