Food & Wine

Cutting edge cooking schools

The ready availability of great fresh produce and the innovative menus of restaurants and cafés nationwide has encouraged many New Zealanders to take their own cooking and presentation up a notch. The contemporary and chic cuisine style of the Pacific rim is a focus for the top catering schools.

Some tourists interested in learning about New Zealand food take the opportunity to attend recreational cooking classes while visiting the country. Classes include those held in Auckland at The Epicurean Workshop; north of Wellington at the Ruth Pretty Cooking School; and in Christchurch at Michael Lee-Richards’ Small Kitchen School. Day-long or weekend classes are available. Those keen to learn about wine and food in one class can visit An Epicurean Affair at the Stone Aerie Estate in Blenheim, Marlborough. There, customised half-day programmes include a buffet lunch or dinner, guided tour of the estate, and cooking and/or wine demonstrations.

• Epicurean Workshop, Newmarket, Auckland, is a stylish, contemporary cooks’ delight with a cooking store, cooking classes, books and more. Catherine Bell is recognised for her innovative style and her Epicurean workshop is world-class
• Ruth Pretty runs a cook school in the countryside just out of Wellington. Ruth is a leading caterer in the area, and the ambience of the country comes to town in her delightful and professional approach
• D’Urville Hotel, Marlborough, (accommodation and culinary school) has cooking classes that include ‘Men Alone’ weekends which feature motivational speeches, health assessments and great food and wine
• Punatapu, Queenstown, (accommodation and culinary school) has private classes for individuals to explore the art of cooking from Aotearoa.
  

Further information:

Ruth Pretty Catering
Phone + 64 4 364 3161
Email ruth@pretty.co.nz

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