Do the rounds of the kitchens

Hands-in ... Greg Malouf teaches Middle-Eastern cuisine at Diana Marsland's Woodend school.

Country Victoria boasts a plethora of cooking schools, many specialising in ethnic cuisines as varied as life itself. So take off for a culinary weekend and give your taste buds a ride.

Birregurra

When celebrated chef George Biron is not running his country restaurant, Sunnybrae, for weekend lunches, he opens his kitchen each Monday for hands-on cooking classes for up to 12 students. Preparing the five-course meal is an international culinary trip that might include artisan-style sausages or hearty cassoulets. There are side trips into the kitchen garden to gather seasonal produce before enjoying lunch with wine.

Cost: $110. Sunnybrae Restaurant and Cooking School, 4285 Cape Otway Road, Birregurra. Phone [phone] or see www.georgebiron.com.

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Kyneton

Learn fabulous new dishes to cook in your wood-fired oven with Damian Sandercock of Pizza Verde. Realising that many people now have their own igloo-shaped ovens, Sandercock's course shows participants how to use them to prepare not only thin-based Roman-style pizzas but many other dishes, such as spinach and ricotta balls, sardines and scallops, roasted meats and vegetables. He conducts "real food" interactive classes for children, too, making yoghurt and ricotta, salads and pizzas, followed by a shared lunch.

Cost: $85-$125 ($55 for kids). Pizza Verde, 62 Piper Street. Phone [phone] or see pizzaverde.com.

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Arthurs Seat

This residential cooking retreat on the Mornington Peninsula is based on the successful cooking schools of Europe, where participants live on-site and interact with each other in a convivial atmosphere. Two and three-day cooking retreats are offered for up to nine students and are usually based on a theme such as the Flavours of South-East Asia, Classic French or Mediterranean Escape. Day classes are also available, where students cook and enjoy lunch.

Cost: $990-$1300. George's Boutique B&B & Culinary Retreat, 776 Arthurs Seat Road. Phone [phone] or see georgesonarthurs.com.au.

Main Ridge

Well-known foodie Louise Lechte (a former contributor and food stylist for ) gives seasonal cooking classes in T'Gallant winery's cucina barrel garden. Initially, the demonstration classes will focus on the "stars of the vegetable kingdom" - asparagus, artichoke and tomato - and then move on to herbs, citrus and potato. Called "tre gusti", or three tastes, each session will demonstrate three dishes accompanied by estate wines, live music and more.

Cost: $75. La Baracca Trattoria, 1385 Mornington-Flinders Road, Main Ridge. Phone [phone] or see tgallant.com.au.

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Red Hill

Work alongside Vines of Red Hill's acclaimed chef, James Redfern, as he prepares lunch dishes using fresh, locally sourced produce. Called Kitchen Open Days, these hands-on cooking classes are held on the third Wednesday of each month for up to 10 students; other days by arrangement for private groups. Menus are created depending on seasonally local fresh produce such as bay fish and local vegetables. Students then sit down and enjoy their labours with wine.

Cost: $55. Vines of Red Hill, 150 Red Hill Road. Phone [phone] or see vinesofredhill.com.au.

Warrandyte

Overlooking the Tuscan-looking hills of Warrandyte, Agata Commisso shares her passion for all things Italian - with a little Spanish, Portuguese and Mexican along the way. The seasons dictate the dishes, which use authentically made products such as capocollo - cured pork that is used like prosciutto - as part of an antipasto platter, traditional hand-made Italian sausages using beef and pork, tasty bruschetta, lasagna bolognese, risotto, hand-rolled fresh macaroni and widespread favourite gnocchi. Regular classes are held at Commisso's home and once a month at nearby Italian-inspired Panton Hill Vineyard and Winery.

Cost: $40-$160. Amore Cucina, Warrandyte. Phone [phone] or see amorecucina.com.

Woodend

Using produce from a thriving potager planted by garden designer Michael McCoy and fruit from her small orchard, Diana Marsland offers hands-on classes on Saturday for up to 16 students. Classes include Middle-Eastern with Greg Malouf, desserts and pastries with Loretta Sartori and modern Australian with Andrew McConnell. Marsland, who ran a successful cooking school in Melbourne for many years, might teach the finer points of risotto. Classes start with morning coffee and include lunch with wine.

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