Unleash Your Inner Chef With the Best Cooking Classes in Sydney

A multicultural melting pot of world-class cuisine, Sydney has a slew of cooking schools – and now, restaurants and local producers are getting in on the game, too. Along with offering an authentic experience, these on-site cooking classes are run by the chefs and experts who are behind all your favourite foods. Not only do you get a peek into how they’re prepared, but you also walk away with the recipes so you can fine-tune your skills at home.

It’s time to tie up those aprons and taste your way through the best cooking classes in Sydney.

Sydney Seafood School

Prawns on the barbie are child’s play compared to the sumptuous seafood creations coming out of this kitchen. An Aussie summer staple, Sydney Seafood School will have you shucking, sizzling, and simmering up a storm with their rotating line-up of pescatarian-friendly cooking classes.

Taking you on a culinary world tour of the sea, master the art of authentic international fare, from old-school Chinese classics and Spanish paella to the all-encompassing flavours of Southeast Asia. New to the whole cooking thing? Check out the Seafood Essentials and BBQ classes that’ll have you pan-frying like a pro in no time.

Sydney Fish Market, 25 Bank Street, Pyrmont 

Bottega Coco 

Barangaroo's own Bottega Coco is now giving you the chance to upgrade your skillset with tips from the best in the business. Your ticket will score you a two-course dining experience, a take home Bottega Sauce pot, a glass of sparkling on arrival and a shared antipasto platter. Prefer pizza? They have a masterclass on that, too! 

Wondering how you can get involved? Gather a gang of nine pals and $100 each and you're in! 

T3.01/300 Barangaroo Avenue, Barangaroo 

I Maccheroni 

If you're an Italian fan and you haven't yet eaten at I Maccheroni, we've got a bone to pick with you. But that's an entirely different matter for another time. Today we're here to share the news that you can now learn from their master chef how to cook their incredible delicacies for yourself, from scratch! 

The choice is between arancini, fresh pasta or gnocchi (and is chosen on what the majority vote for). The intimate group of six is perfect for learning and squeezing all your questions in. Your ticket price scores you your class, an I Maccheroni tote bag, limoncello and a recipe card! 

Saturdays, 11am and 2pm 

3 Jersey Road, Woollahra 

Les Soeurs 

If you like the idea of a cooking class but are more of an arty type, you'll adore Les Soeurs' monthly workshops. Depending on the month you might be decorating a single cake or tiered creation as the lovely Rachel guides you through multiple piping techniques. Best of all, you'll be able to take your sweet pastel creation home to share with your nearest and dearest. 

Location TBA

VIVE Cooking School

Dreaming of that decadent pasta dish you had in Rome? Or maybe it’s the pastries you had in Paris? VIVE’s rotating Rolodex of international cooking classes will teach you to recreate your favourite dishes from around the globe at home.

Alongside fan favourites like pizza making and Mexican, you’ll find an eclectic mix of exciting new cuisines to add to your repertoire – Moroccan, Singapore Mud Crab and Thai street food are just a few. With so many classes on the roster, there’s always something new for you to try (and eat) each week!

Shop 18/ 61-71 Mentmore Avenue, Rosebery

Victor Churchill

Home to one of the most beautiful interiors you will see in any butcher, Victor Churchill is a Woollahra institution. On any given day you’ll see the butchers in their glass-walled workshop meticulously preparing meats for you to take home and enjoy. It’s this same artistry and elegance that makes Victor’s boutique culinary school one of the best cooking classes in Sydney.

Sitting at around 3.5 hours each, students will be paired with world-class experts to help share their skills and knowledge in fields such as butchery, cookery, sausage making and more. Bookmark this one for Father’s Day!

132 Queen Street, Woollahra 

Omnom Cheese Making

Struggling to fund your cheese addiction? So was Omnom founder Marly Badia until she learnt how to make it herself. Promising that whipping up a cheeky ball of burrata is easier than you think, in just 90 minutes you’ll have all the skills you need to make your favourite cheeses at home. Beginner-friendly and most importantly accompanied by wine, the halloumi making with bottomless bubbles sounds like a pretty good way to spend a Saturday, don’t you think?

Shop 2A/791-795 Botany Road, Rosebery

Salt Meats Cheese

At this popular providore, just about everything is made from scratch, and its classes teach you how to do the same. The Circular Quay location hosts a bunch of hands-on classes, so you can learn all about making your own pizza, pasta, gnocchi, and even aperitivo. Salt Meats Cheese also tailors classes for special occasions, such as Christmas and Mother’s Day.

Level 2, Gateway Building, 1 Alfred Street, Circular Quay

Pasta Emilia

In Surry Hills, Pasta Emilia is famous for its shelves heaving with fresh, organic, and biodynamic pasta. Next door at Osteria Emilia, the delightful trattoria, you can learn the insider secrets to creating the perfect Italian meal. You’ll work in teams – with a glass of wine in hand, of course – to whip up handmade pasta (including a gluten-free version), gnocchi and sauces.

259 Riley Street, Surry Hills

Nilgiri’s

Nestled in Cremorne, Nilgiri’s is known for its dynamic Indian food, which is cooked in a theatrical open kitchen. But if you sign up for a class, you’ll discover that the true delight is the charismatic owner, Ajoy. Once a month on a Monday evening, he leads eager students through classes in the art of Indian cuisine. Every class tackles a new set of dishes, with past iterations featuring coondapuri chicken with paneer gassi and Punjabi murg tikka makhani with malai kofta. Vegetarians are also welcome with meat-free options available.

Shop 3, 283 Military Road, Cremorne

Cornersmith

If you’ve ever eaten brekkie or lunch at this Inner West institution, you’ll be familiar with the feeling of your mouth watering as you read the menu. Cornersmith’s cooking class calendar is just as appetising. There’s a huge range of workshops that are run as pop-ups in exciting locations around Sydney, with the current schedule being held at Bourke Street Bakery in Potts Point. Think fermentation, kombucha, fruity marmalades, chutney, handmade pasta and even pelmeni (Russian dumplings).

46a Macleay Street, Potts Point

Harvest Vegetarian Restaurant

For decades now, Harvest has been dishing up inventive vegetarian and vegan food. The down-to-earth eatery also runs cooking classes on Sunday mornings. Led by Chef Adam de Ath, you’ll learn how to whip up your own plates of green goodness, and then sit down to a three-course lunch with your fellow students. The classes are intimate, with the option to BYO wine for lunch.

71 Evans Street, Rozelle

Loving our round-up for the best cooking classes in Sydney? Take a look at our breakdown of the must-visit cafes in Ultimo and our edit of the best casual restaurants in Sydney's CBD.