The London Chef in person cooking classes at Sea Cider Farmhouse. Instagram
Winter is a good time to explore the culinary arts. With shorter days and cooler temperatures, what better way to beat the winter blues than by learning to make hearty dishes, baked goods, experimenting with new cuisines, or perfecting comfort food classics? Beyond the practical skills, cooking classes are also a great way to bond with friends, meet like-minded foodies, or simply enjoy some me-time doing something meaningful.
This winter, treat yourself to the joy of creating delicious meals while staying warm and inspired. Check out some of the exciting cooking classes and workshops happening soon, and if none of the classes listed here work for your schedule, most of the organizers offer private classes as well.
European cooking classes at The London Chef
The London Chef, led by chef Dan Hayes, offers a variety of cooking classes both in person and online. The in-person cooking classes are held at various pop-up locations throughout the city. These sessions provide hands-on culinary experiences and cover a range of cuisines and techniques, making them suitable for cooks of all skill levels. For those who prefer to learn from the comfort of their own homes, The London Chef also offers live online cooking classes. Participants receive a list of equipment and ingredients prior to the class, ensuring they are well-prepared to cook along with the chef in real-time. The ingredients are typically accessible from major grocery stores, and for residents of Victoria, there's an option to have ingredients delivered directly to their door for an additional fee. These virtual classes accommodate various time zones, allowing individuals from different regions to join. Here are some of the classes coming up in February.
French Bistro Cooking Class on Feb. 4: Participants will learn to prepare pomme persillade, a rustic red wine-braised chicken, sautéed kale, and crêpes Suzette. The evening begins at Sea Cider Farm with a guided cider tasting featuring three of Sea Cider's award-winning ciders. Following the tasting, attendees will engage in a hands-on cooking session, preparing the meal under the guidance of the chef and enjoying their dinner afterwards at a long-table harvest dinner overlooking the orchard. The class is designed to be interactive and educational, providing insights into traditional French cuisine and cooking techniques.
$155 per person
Tuscan Supper Cooking Class on Feb. 25: Attendees will learn to prepare classic prawns Provencale with warm bread, mushroom and thyme risotto accompanied by seared AAA steak, and an arugula salad. This cooking class is held at Sea Cider Farm and the class begins with a guided cider tasting featuring three of Sea Cider's award-winning ciders. Following the tasting, guests engage in a hands-on cooking session, preparing the meal under the guidance of the chef. After cooking, participants enjoy their creations during a long-table harvest dinner overlooking the orchard. The class is designed to be interactive and educational, providing insights into traditional Italian cuisine and cooking techniques.
$155 per person
Spanish Tapas Cooking Class on Feb. 26: This class is held at Sea Cider Farm and as the other classes, it begins with a guided cider tasting featuring three of Sea Cider's award-winning ciders. Following the tasting, attendees engage in a hands-on cooking session, preparing a variety of classic tapas dishes, including prawns sautéed with chili and garlic, tortilla española, mushrooms with sherry vinegar and fresh herbs, and chicken with smoked paprika and almonds under the guidance of the chef. After cooking, participants enjoy their food at a long-table harvest dinner overlooking the orchard.
$155 per person
Asian fermentation workshops by Island Eko Pantry
The Victoria-based company has been offering Asian fermentation workshops and cooking classes using seasonal and local foods since 2021. Many of their workshops are sold out but keep an eye on new dates as they open from time to time.
Gimbap Workshop on Feb. 23: Participants will learn the art of making gimbap, a popular Korean dish consisting of rice and various fillings rolled in seaweed. The session will cover techniques for preparing and assembling gimbap, as well as insights into its cultural significance. The workshop is at Uchida Eatery downtown and a welcome drink and lunch will be provided. For more information or to inquire about availability, you can contact Island Eko Pantry at info@islandekopantry.com.
$80 per person
Vegan Kimchi Workshop on March 9: Participants will learn the art of making vegan kimchi, a traditional Korean fermented dish, gaining hands-on experience in preparing this flavourful and probiotic-rich food. The session will cover the history, cultural significance, and health benefits of kimchi, as well as the fermentation process involved in its preparation. The workshop is at Uchida Eatery downtown and a welcome drink and lunch will be provided. For more information or to inquire about availability, you can contact Island Eko Pantry at info@islandekopantry.com.
$100 per person. 5% discount to students and seniors.
Kallayanee's Kitchen Thai cooking classes
Located in North Saanich, Kallayanee's Kitchen offers authentic Thai cooking classes led by Kallayanee Glover from Thailand, who learned from her mother and still cooks many of the same dishes. The classes are designed to provide hands-on experience in preparing traditional Thai dishes, with no prerequisites required, allowing participants to join any class in any order. Each session lasts about three hours, during which students learn to prepare a variety of dishes, including noodles, curry, spring rolls, seafood soups, and spicy salads. After the cooking session, participants enjoy the prepared meal together. Printed recipes and ingredient lists are provided, with many ingredients available at local grocery stores and Victoria’s Chinatown.
Thai Classic Favourites Cooking Class on March 14: Participants will learn to prepare traditional Thai dishes which may include Thai spring rolls, pad Thai noodles, Thai coconut soup, vegetable stir fry with cashews and chili, and red curry chicken.
$78.75 per person
Royal Crimson Feast Cooking Class on March 16: Participants will learn to prepare traditional Thai dishes, including Thai salad rolls, hot and sour smooth tiger prawn soup, royal crimson chicken, red yellow curry, and mixed vegetables with chilli sauce.
$78.75 per person
Kallayanee's Kitchen. Website.
Cake decoration workshop
Head over to Flourish BeauTea in Langford to decorate a six-inch sponge cake (flavour of your choice) and learn cake decoration techniques like crumb coating, achieving sharp edges, piping, and meet fellow cake enthusiasts. This workshop is catered for all levels, beginners welcome. Tickets include a light meal and complimentary beverage. Each participant will take their cake home. There is an option to share the experience with a friend with a $25 add-on, this way, participants decorate their cake in pairs.
Follow Flourish BeauTea to stay in the know for new dates (workshops are held every month) or send them a DM.
$85 per person
Cooking classes at HOB Fine Foods
Chef Castro Boateng is excited to welcome you into his kitchen, where he’ll share his expert tips, tricks, and tools of the trade throughout the experience.
The atmosphere at HOB Fine Foods’ classes is casual and interactive, allowing guests to enjoy dishes prepared by the chef during the event. Participants can choose to relax with a glass of wine or dive in and help prepare the meal, all while connecting with fellow food enthusiasts. The best part is, canapés and snacks will be served throughout the class.
“A Taste of Winter” Cooking Class on Feb. 19: Learn to make three winter dishes that showcase the bounty and beauty of our region in this season. Start with making a parsnip and apple soup with blue cheese, toasted nuts, and red wine reduction. Followed by making seared scallops with butternut squash risotto, fennel and radish salad, and vanilla curry oil. Canapes and snacks will be served during class and drinks are available for purchase. Dessert is served after dinner.
$135 per person
Guest Chef Heidi Fink - Spanish Cuisine Cooking Class on Feb. 27: Take a culinary trip to Spain with chef Heidi Fink, an award-winning culinary instructor. Learn to use both Spanish ingredients and basic pantry staples to produce delicious meals, enjoying simple tapas, and learning to make albondigas and a Coastal seafood paella. Canapes, snacks, and desserts will be provided.
$140 per person
Pasta making classes at La Pasta La Pizza
Join chef Milos for a fun and interactive pasta-making class that’s perfect for food enthusiasts. In this hands-on experience, guests will learn the art of crafting perfect pasta from scratch, including the importance of ingredient quality, the ideal ratios, and how to knead dough to develop gluten for that perfect elasticity. Participants will also learn to prepare a delicious sauce and enjoy sampling expertly crafted dishes. Each participant gets their own station, ensuring a personalized experience.
The evening kicks off with a welcome drink—your choice of wine, beer, or a non-alcoholic option—accompanied by bruschetta as an appetizer. After diving into the pasta-making process, guests will sample arancini and choose a pasta dish from La Pasta La Pizza’s menu while their dough rests and develops. To top it all off, the experience concludes with a decadent serving of tiramisu for dessert. It’s an evening of culinary learning, delicious flavours, and memorable moments.
Youth: $45 (includes a non-alcoholic beverage)
Adults: $90 (includes 2 glasses of local beer or wine)
Note: Youth ages 2-16 must be accompanied by an adult.
Chef Heidi Fink cooking classes
Heidi Fink, a Red Seal chef and an award-winning cooking instructor, has been teaching cooking classes in Victoria since 1999. Her fresh recipes, down-to-earth teaching style, and many cooking tips ensure that her students leave class with the confidence and enthusiasm they need to cook delicious food at home.
Chef Fink offers in-person and online classes, as well as private lessons. Check out the class schedule on the website. In-person classes usually fill up quickly, make sure to book your class ahead of time.
Bon Macaron workshops
Learn how to make macarons at Bon Macaron. In this three-hour workshop, participants will choose their favourite flavour to make during the workshop, get the recipes, mix the ingredients and get all the tips from the team, and while the macarons are baking, guests enjoy a drink with a tasting of macarons. Participants go home with about 40 macarons of 12 different flavours.
These workshops are currently sold out for the month of February and March workshops haven’t been announced yet. Visit Bon Macaron’s website to sign up for new workshops as they are announced.
Island Chef Kitchens
The catering company just introduced cooking classes at their location in Langford. There is a parent-tot cooking class, a pasta workshop, a Valentine’s couples’ class, and more classes to be introduced later on. In the classes, chef Vincenzo Capitano will teach guests how to make pasta the traditional Italian way, from scratch. The menu for each class is predetermined and will be communicated to participants ahead of time.
Starting at $90 per person
Green Artichoke private cooking lessons
Whether you’re green or experienced in the kitchen, chef Kyle Gerrard offers customized cooking lessons to get you to the level you want to be—from perfecting your skills to just mastering a few ‘go-to’ dishes. At Green Artichoke’s cooking lessons you will learn the small things, the little tricks, and with practice, you will find yourself creating dishes far beyond the apparent level of complexity that you ever imagined.
Contact chef Gerrard with a detailed description of your specific cooking goals and get cooking!
Learn to make sourdough with Megan
Dive into the art of sourdough with Red Seal pastry chef Megan Hennis. From feeding your starter to mastering no-knead focaccia, participants will create their own sourdough to take home to bake. The bakers will also learn to make two breads from start to finish with a loaf of each to bake at home. Next class to be announced.
$120 per person
Learn to make ice cream at 49 Below
These classes are led by 49 Below's founder, Dan Edler, who guides participants through the history of ice cream and demonstrates how to create a dairy base at home. Attendees also have the opportunity to craft their own ice cream flavours using a variety of mix-ins. The session concludes with participants taking home a pint of their custom-made ice cream. New dates to be announced soon. You can add your name to the waitlist to be informed.
$100 per person
