The Sticky Rice Cooking School is one of several Barossa Valley outposts that teach Australia’s culinary secrets. Photo: Sticky Rice Cooking School.
One of Australia’s oldest food and wine regions, South Australia’s Barossa Valley is criss-cut with more than 150 wineries. Some have been fruiting since the late 1800s. But Barossa is not all about history; the region is bursting with new butcheries, bakeries, breweries, cideries and creameries. What’s more is the fantastic cooking schools that teach travelers how to combine and complement the region’s ingredients. Here are the current leaders for cooking classes in the Barossa Valley.
Casa Carboni Italian Cooking School
A Barossa Valley standby, Casa Carboni is run by Emilia Romagna native Matteo Carboni. Classes are intimate and hands-on, focusing on Italian food history and culture as well as seasonal and regional adaptation. Half-day classes generally include a morning trip to the Barossa Farmers Market before cooking and eating an Italian-style long lunch.
Food Luddite Kitchen Studio
Small-group courses in a bright, inspiring kitchen are accessible to newbies and all about the food. Veteran chef of the Pear Tree Cottage in Greenock and Appellation in Marananga, Mark McNamara is now dedicated to sharing time-honored traditions and techniques — whether about lemongrass, curry, Mediterranean or duck — and removing the mystique to empower food lovers of all flavors.
After a day in the kitchen, retreat to one of Sticky Rice’s three villas. Photo: Sticky Rice Cooking School.
Sticky Rice Cooking School
A popular new Asian school run by a team of A-list chefs from across Australia (including Mark McNamara, Katrina Ryan and Ty Bellingham, to name a few), Sticky Rice specializes in Thai food but also delves into Vietnamese, Middle Eastern, Spanish, Japanese, Indian and just about any other current obsession of the culinary team. Sticky Rice also leads gourmet food tours and packages that include accommodation in one of three on-site villas.
>>Learn about other food and wine experiences in and around Adelaide and the Barossa Valley
- Contributed by Serena Renner
Cooking Classes in the Barossa Valley from Australia Things to Do