thecuriouskiwi

Cooking Classes in New Zealand


Are you keen to cook your way around the country or taste your way through town? If so, check out the following list of 39 cooking classes and cooking demonstrations in New Zealand. If you know of a great culinary experience we can add contact us. (Updated February 2020)

If food and drink related festivals are your cup of tea see Food, Wine and Beer Festivals, a full festival list is here.


What's New? Bake With Me, Tauranga; Ben's Cookery School, Whangarei; Riverside Kitchen, Christchurch; Vaniyé Patisserie, Auckland

North Island

Whangarei

Ben's Cookery School
www.cook.fernmoor.com
Ben's Cookery School is an independent cookery school based in Whangarei, Northland. We offer a wide range of courses from beginners to masterclasses and fun workshops. Our program is changing all the time. All class participants get free membership to Ben's Cookery Club - an online resource giving access to Recipes, Instructional Videos, ‘How To…’ downloadable guides, Reference materials including handy conversion tables, Menu Planners and more.

Auckland

Auckland Seafood School
www.afm.co.nz
Located above Auckland Fish Market, the Auckland Seafood School run classes including King of Seafood, Taste of Japan, Seafood Surf'n'Turf, and Market Stalls Asian Fusion. Classes from $95.


Edmonds Baking School at Chelsea Sugar Factory
www.chelsea.co.nz/baking
Hands-on baking classes are offered for kids, teens and adults at the Edmonds Baking School. Classes include Beginner Baking 101, Kids Cake Pop Class, and Cake Decorating.


Espresso Coffee School
www.espressocoffeeschool.co.nz
Espresso Coffee School have short 3 hour barista courses for those wanting to make good coffee at home, as well as longer courses for those who want to become professional baristas.


Little Bird Organics
www.littlebirdorganics.co.nz/classes
If you're interested in attending a cooking class or workshop focused on plant based cuisine and good health click on over to Little Bird Organics.


Main Course
www.maincourse.co.nz
One of the most popular cooking classes at Main Course is Fine Dining at Home, other classes include Middle Eastern Table, Namaste India, and Chocolate Works. Complete Basic Skills classes are run for those who want to learn the basics of good home cooking. KidzKitchen classes are offered during school holidays.


Milly's Kitchen
www.millys.co.nz
If you're interested in cake decorating, Milly's Kitchen run Wilton Cake Decorating courses and other specialty classes like Cookie Decorating Cupcake Workshops.

Sabato
www.sabato.co.nz
Visit the Events page to see information about Sabato's cooking classes, and cheese and wine classes held in their Mt Eden store.


Sachie's Kitchen
www.sachieskitchen.com
Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai and Indian cooking classes are held at Sachie's Kitchen in Parnell. Classes are hands on and run for approximately 2.5 hours.


Selwyn Community Education at Selwyn College in Kohimarama
www.selwyncomed.school.nz/cooking
There is a fantastic line up of night and weekend community classes of all types at Selwyn College. Cooking classes offered in 2020 include Turkish Cuisine, Artisan Baking, Date Night Cooking and Japanese Cuisine.


The Cook Book School & Kitchen
www.cookthebooks.co.nz
Meat Free Monday, North African Flavours and Fresh Sri Lankan Cuisine are a few of the Culinary Workshops offered at Cook the Books.


The Loft Yoga Lounge
www.theloft.org.nz
The Loft Yoga Lounge run a Vegan Cooking Class once a month on a Saturday, book online.


The New Zealand School of Food & Wine
www.foodandwine.co.nz
Located in Auckland's Viaduct, The New Zealand School of Food & Wine offers NZQA approved cookery and hospitality qualifications. Part time classes include Barista and Bartending and Cocktails.


Vaniyé Patisserie
www.vaniye.com
Chef Sonia’s Masterclasses are for those who want to perfect their skills and techniques to create modern desserts. You will learn how to master the use of utensils and baking equipment to achieve beautiful results like a pro. Choose a 2 ½ hour Demonstration Cooking Class or a 3 hour Hands-on Cooking Class, maximum 12 per class.


Katikati

Katikati Community Centre
www.katikatiresource.co.nz
See if there are any cooking or food related classes on the schedule at Katikati Community Centre.

Tauranga

Somerset Cottage Restaurant and Cook School
www.somersetcottage.co.nz
Cooking classes are held at the Somerset Cottage Restaurant kitchen in the morning. There are usually four series a year and the emphasis is on inspiring people to want to go home and cook, rather than cooking dishes that professional chefs present in restaurants. Classes from $95.


Bake With Me
www.bakewithme.co.nz
Bake With Me is all about encouraging people of all ages to do more baking. We run workshops, kids holiday programmes and other special events throughout the year here in Tauranga. Each week we run an after school programme called “Baking Club” where students in Years 4-8 learn different baking skills and get to take something amazing home each week. Visit our website above or Facebook page for more information.


Putaruru

The New Zealand Cheese School
www.newzealandcheeseschool.co.nz
Become a New Zealand CheeseMaster or do a DIY Cheese Workshop at The New Zealand Cheese School. Over the Moon Deli shares the Cheese School's site at 33 Tirau Street in Putaruru.


Taupo

Coriander Lime Kitchen
www.corianderlimekitchen.com
Coriander Lime Kitchen offers private cooking classes for adults and children with a focus on the flavours of Asia. Adult classes $85, childrens classes $75.


New Plymouth

Cook Learn Love
Cook Learn Love on Facebook
Cooking classes at Cook Learn Love can include Easy Sourdough Bread, Introduction to French Bistro, and Macarons. There are also after-school classes for Junior Chefs, see the Facebook link above for details.


Hastings

Farmhouse Kitchen Cooking School
www.farmhousekitchen.co.nz
Workshops offered by Farmhouse Kitchen Cooking School include Plant Based Cooking, Sourdough, Cheesemaking, and Vegetable Fermentation - all $95. There are also cooking classes for children during the school holidays.


Palmerston North

Indian Vegetarian Cooking Classes
www.indianvegcooking.co.nz
Watch two Indian vegetarian dishes being prepared in Uma's home kitchen and then taste the results. Demonstrations are two hours long and cost from $40pp.

Wairarapa

Careme
www.careme.co.nz
Careme is based at the Palliser Estate Winery in Martinborough. Bread and Yeast, Colonial Kiwi, Desserts, and Food from the Maghreb are some of the cooking classes offered - all classes $150.

Wellington

Bohemein Chocolates
www.bohemein.co.nz
Learn to temper chocolate and make truffles at Bohemein Chocolates during a chocolate making class.


Cupcake Sweeties
www.cupcakesweeties.co.nz
Cupcake Sweeties in Lower Hutt offer Beginners Cupcake Decorating Classes, and Licence to Ice - a 6 week Cake and Cupcake Decorating Series.


Curious Cook
www.curiouscook.co.nz
Hands-On Halloumi & Ricotta, Hands-On Farmhouse Cheddar and Hands-On Vegan Cheese are a few of the cheesemaking workshops offered by the Curious Cook.


La Bella Italia
www.labellaitalia.co.nz
La Bella Italia in Lower Hutt hosts hands-on cooking classes for adults and children. Antonio Cacace from La Bella Italia hosts Antonio's Food & Culture Tours to Italy.


Mojo Coffee Shed 13
www.mojocoffee.co.nz
Mojo Coffee offers coffee training programs including City & Guilds International Award in Barista Skills. Introduction to Espresso, and Latte Art classes are also offered.


Ruth Pretty Cooking School, Te Horo (70km north of Wellington)
www.ruthpretty.co.nz
Most weekends from February - December cooking demonstrations and long lunches take place at Ruth Pretty Cooking School in Te Horo. How To High Tea is a popular event or check out Don't Fry For Me Argentina.


Savour Cooking Classes
www.savour.org.nz and Chef Wendy Joyce on Facebook
Savour run cooking classes from Crave Kitchen in Lyall Bay and other locations around Wellington. Popular Savour classes include Ottolenghi Middle Eastern Feasts, Persian Cooking, Fermentation, Italian Fresh Pasta Making, and Knife Skills. Battle kitchens, hens parties and private events can also be organised.


Sheila's Indian Kitchen
Facebook - Indian Cooking Classes
Sheila's Indian Kitchen offers 2 hour hands-on cooking sessions followed by a dinner in a banquet setting. The dishes you will learn - roasted eggplant curry, dal, roti, saag paneer, naan, shahi paneer, spicy potato paratha, dosa, masala chai, samosa etc. Gluten free and other dietary requirements can be catered to. For bookings please e-mail or 021 026 97038


South Island

Nelson

Homegrown Kitchen
www.homegrown-kitchen.co.nz
Cooking workshops offered by Homegrown Kitchen include Preserving the Harvest, and Art of Sourdough, note workshops are offered in Nelson and around New Zealand.

Christchurch

Riverside Kitchen
www.riversidekitchen.co.nz
Riverside Kitchen is above the newly opened Riverside Farmer's Market on Oxford Terrace in the city. Cooking classes are both hands-on and demonstration and can include Cheese Making for Kids, Pressure Cooker, Persian, and Pasta.


Asian Garden Cooking School
www.asiancookschool.co.nz
Many of the fresh garden ingredients used in Asian Garden's cooking classes are grown onsite. Classes run during the day and evening and include Old Saigon Quarter (Tapas Style) and Gluten Free Asian.


My Home Chef
www.myhomechef.co.nz
Rita Yosef (My Home Chef) offers group and private one-on-one cooking lessons for children, adults and young adults with special needs.


Papanui High School
www.papanui.school.nz
Papanui High School run a variety of food and cooking related classes as part of their Adult and Community Education programme.


Risingholme Community Centre
www.risingholme.org.nz
Egyptian Cooking, Fermented Foods, and Italian Cooking are a few of the cooking classes run by Risingholme Community Centre in Opawa.


Charteris Bay (Banks Peninsula)

Preserved Cook School
www.preserved.co.nz
Workshops at Preserved Cook School include the popular Pig in a Day class where you use free range pork to make sausages, traditional fermented salami, and salt cured bacon. If you're interested in foraging and wild food see Foraging with Peter Langlands.

Akaroa

The Akaroa Cooking School
www.akaroacooking.co.nz
The Akaroa Cooking School is opposite the main wharf in Akaroa so it's no surprise they run Fresh from the Wharf classes. Other cooking classes include - Canapes & Cocktails, A Day in Italy, and Asian Inspirations. Classes from $225 per person.


General

Farmers' Markets - There are more than 50 Farmers' Markets around New Zealand. When you visit a Farmers' Market you can sample and purchase produce and specialty food unique to the local area. By buying locally from the markets you are also helping to sustain the livelihoods of local growers and producers. At some of the markets musicians provide entertainment, making many of them a popular social event. Farmers Markets are usually held at weekends, visit the website for locations.

Community Education Classes
High Schools/Colleges in New Zealand towns and cities may run evening cooking classes and/or weekend cooking classes. Selwyn College in Auckland always has a good line up of adult education classes including cooking classes.


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