Nothing brings people together like great food and drinks!

Explore new cuisines and baking techniques with others and enjoy what you prepare together. Or skip to cocktail hour with our wine and beer appreciation classes!

students in a cooking class

Upcoming Courses

Cooking Courses

International Grill | $72
Want to expand on your grill repertoire? There’s a whole wide world out there that loves cooking over fire, and we’ll explore some of the options in this class. From the Far East to the Middle East and south of the border, we’ll cook up some easy and delicious meals that you’ll want to try again at home the next time the grill comes out.
#65528, Truax-Main Building, 4/7, Monday, 5:30-8:30 PM Instructor: Brad Kahn
A Night of Mexican Cuisine | $72
Taco night at your place will never be the same! This class will explore some of the easy ways to upgrade what you wrap your tortillas around. Think carne asada, cochinita pibil and chicken tinga. We’ll cook up a big batch of homemade beans, cilantro-lime rice and quick pickled red onions. Round things out with homemade green and red salsas, and finish the meal off with a creamy flan for dessert.
#65378, Truax-Main Building, 5/5, Monday, 5:30-8:30 PM Instructor: Brad Kahn
Gut-Friendly Cooking: Nourish Your Body, Delight Your Taste Buds | $171
Transform your meals and your health with this hands-on course in gut-friendly cooking! Learn how to create mouthwatering, fiber-rich dishes that promote digestion and boost your microbiome. From hearty breakfasts to satisfying dinners, you'll discover the secrets to balancing flavor and nutrition. Perfect for food lovers and health enthusiasts alike, this class will leave you equipped to turn every meal into a step toward better well-being. Your gut—and your palate—will thank you!
#68179, Truax-Main Building, 4/30-5/21, Wednesday, 5:30-8:30 PM Instructor: Lee Schauer
How to write a cookbook | $65
Turn your culinary dreams into a published reality! In this inspiring and practical class, you'll learn how to transform your unique food ideas into a beautifully crafted cookbook. Discover the secrets to developing and testing recipes that readers will love, gain insider tips on styling and photographing your dishes like a pro, and master the art of structuring your book for maximum impact. Whether you're planning to self-publish or pitch to major publishers, this course provides all the tools and guidance you need to make your cookbook a success. Let’s bring your vision to life—one delicious page at a time!
Future offerings will be posted here
Mediterranean Cuisine | $72
For almost 50 years, the Mediterranean diet has been the standard bearer for healthy eating, mostly because it’s so darned good! In this class, we’ll explore easy ways to add the ingredients and flavors of the Levant to your table. Make your own falafel and accompaniments, braise chicken thighs with lemon and olives, grill beef and serve with the world’s best garlic sauce. We’ll also construct a grain bowl with slow roasted salmon and more.
Future offerings posted here

Baking Courses

Jr. Chef Series - Cakes 2 | $71
Let your creativity soar with this cake decorating class! With your cake from our Jr Chef: Cakes 1 class you will learn and apply basic techniques of icing cakes and basic piping techniques. If not signed up for Jr Chef: Cakes 1, please bring 2-8inch round cakes for class
#65556, Truax-Main Building, 3/15, Saturday, 9 AM-1 PM Instructor: Avery Jesse
Jr. Chef Cookies | $71
Learn how to make a variety of different types of cookies, including cookies & cream drop cookies, sugar cookie sandwiches, and sprinkle slice and bake cookies.
#67738, Truax-Main Building, 4/26, Saturday, 9 AM-1 PM Instructor: Mandy Bocanegra
Cookie Decorating | $71
This class is for the beginner cookitier or for the person who is just curious about what cookie decorating is all about! If you have limited experience with sugar cookies, find yourself frustrated with royal icing, or if you're trying to have fun with family or friends, this is the class for you! We'll make different consistencies of royal icing to learn outlining, flooding, writing, flowers, and wet-on-wet techniques.
#65402, Truax-Main Building, 5/3, Saturday, 9 AM-1 PM Instructor: Mandy Bocanegra
French Macarons | $71
This cookie is perhaps the most difficult to make correctly without professional-level techniques. Even though there are only four ingredients, the method of putting those ingredients together is extremely technical. We’ll go through the process step-by-step so that you learn how to make this French cookie correctly. We’ll make a Swiss meringue buttercream filling and a chocolate ganache filling to complete the perfect macaron.
#67825, Truax-Main Building, 5/12, Monday, 5:30-9:30 PM Instructor: Avery Jesse
Baking Croissants and Breakfast | $72
Flaky, delicious croissants are within your reach! Learn how to make your own savory and sweet croissants from scratch as well as tasty sweet roll pastries. Your instructor will demonstrate and guide you through all the techniques so you can prepare and eat these delicious treats.
#11932, Truax-Main Building, 6/21, Saturday, 9 AM-1 PM Instructor: Mandy Bocanegra
Baking: Yeast Breads | $72
Learn how easy it is to make bread from scratch when you know the basic bread baking rules. We’ll talk about the theory behind ingredients and how they interact. We’ll discuss how important specific methods are to bread baking and the equipment needed to make a perfect loaf. Then we’ll use those rules to make three breads from one standard recipe. Those breads include pesto pull-apart bread, cinnamon swirl bread, and multi-grain bread.
#11180, Truax-Main Building, 7/19, Saturday, 9 AM-1 PM Instructor: Mandy Bocanegra
Baking: Cookie Sandwiches | $72
Looking for an upgraded cookie? These delicious cookies are used to sandwich a decadent filling for a fun dessert. We'll make peanut butter cookie sandwiches, lace cookie sandwiches, and chocolate with salted caramel frosting whoopie pies.
#11942, Truax-Main Building, 8/9, Saturday, 9 AM-1 PM Instructor: Mandy Bocanegra
Cake Decorating Workshop | $71
Learn the basics of cake decorating: creating, outlining and filling-in designs, writing messages, star and shell borders, buttercream flowers, stems, and leaves. Learn and practice techniques and then apply them to your own cake. The emphasis of this course is on design and composition. Students are expected to provide some supplies, such as cake, bags, and decorating tips.
Future offerings posted here
Jr. Chef Series - Cakes 1 | $71
In this class, you will learn how to make cakes from scratch. We will discuss different types of fillings as well as make American buttercream. Join us in Jr Chef: Cakes 2 class to layer and decorate your cake.
Future offerings posted here

Beer and Wine Courses

Create Your Own Blend: A Fun, Hands-On Wine Experience | $50
Unleash your inner winemaker in this interactive and exciting class! You’ll begin by sampling four distinct red wine varietals, learning the art and science of blending. Using small beakers, you’ll experiment with different combinations of the wines, refining your creation sip by sip until you’ve crafted the perfect blend. Once you’ve created your masterpiece, bottle it to take home and savor at your leisure! To add a little fun and friendly competition, I’ll sample each blend and award the “Best Blend” a special prize. Whether you’re a wine enthusiast or just love a creative challenge, this class is perfect for anyone looking to have a great time while learning about wine. Cheers to creating your own custom wine!
#67729 Commercial Avenue Campus, 3/22, Saturday, 12-2 PM Instructor: Rob Lewis
Wine Cellar Basics | $35
Have you ever wanted to set up your very own wine cellar in your home?  Come join us to explore the do's and don'ts for where to store your valuable collection, options for the ideal serving temperature for white and red wine, and purchasing ideas for various wine styles to create your very own wine cellar. The class promises to be both fun and educational as you learn about what goes into making a home wine collection.  We will also do taste comparisons of popular wine types to see how temperature affects taste. It may surprise you!  Class discussions will be lively and entertaining.
#67720, Commercial Avenue Campus, 3/26, Wednesday, 6-8 PM Instructor: Robert Taylor
Make Your Own Wine | $142
During this five week class with commercial winemaker Rob Lewis of Lewis Station Winery and Stable Rock Winery, this winemaking course covers the full winemaking process: from fermentation to bottling. Learn techniques to start or improve your own home winemaking while creating your own wine during class in small teams and hone your wine evaluation skills with topics on sensory evaluation, wine making knowledge and learning some of the secrets to food and wine pairing. Students will get to take some wine home to enjoy.
#65424 Commercial Avenue Campus, 3/27-4/24, Thursday, 6-8 PM Instructor: Rob Lewis
Does More Money Mean Better Wine? | $45
Have you ever wondered if that $40 bottle of wine is truly better than a $10 bottle? Come join us to do blind tastings of various wine varietals at different price points. You will try Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon at low and high prices. The class promises to be both fun and educational as you learn about what goes into making a bottle of wine. It may surprise you. Class discussions will be lively and entertaining.
#65472, Commercial Avenue Campus, 4/8, Tuesday, 6-8 PM Instructor: Robert Taylor
Wine and Cheese Tasting | $45
Wine and cheese are a match made in heaven, but have you ever wondered what wines go best with which cheeses and why? Treat your senses to a night of exploring how the flavors wine and cheese interact to create perfect (or sometimes not so perfect) pairings. You’ll learn cheese and wine tasting techniques and how to describe and evaluate cheese and wine flavor characteristics, all while enjoying delicious wines and a featured cheese selection from Wisconsin creameries.
#65464, Commercial Avenue Campus, 4/12, Saturday, 1-2:30 PM Instructor: Rob Lewis
Old World vs New World Wine: Let's Taste the Difference | $45
“New World” and “Old World” are terms commonly used in the wine industry to distinguish between wines produced in different regions of the world. Old World pertains to traditional winemaking regions in places such as Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. These regions have a long history of winemaking, dating back thousands of years. New World refers to wines from the United States, Canada and others with more recent winemaking history. In this class, we’ll be comparing the same grape varietals from the Old World and the New World in a side-by-side comparison. Not only will you taste the difference, but Rob will lead you on a journey in understanding the differences from a historical perspective too.
#67677, Commercial Avenue Campus, 4/26 Saturday, 12-2 PM Instructor: Rob Lewis
Sparkling Wine Comparison | $45
If you have ever been curious as to whether that expensive bottle of bubbly is truly worth it, now you can find out! In this class, members will sample French Champagne along with other sparkling white wines such as Italian Prosecco and Spanish Cava at different price points. There will definitely be some lively discussions among your fellow classmates. So join us for a wine exploration that just might change your mind about cost versus quality when it comes to your wine budget. Some wine tasting experience would be beneficial but not mandatory.
#65398, Commercial Avenue Campus, 5/8, Thursday, 6-8 PM Instructor: Robert Taylor
Blind (black glass) Wine Tasting | $45
Learn to evaluate and appreciate wine. Black glass is used so the taster doesn't know if it’s a white, rose’ or red wine. You get to learn the science of taste using a guide to evaluate the wine and then everyone guesses and the wine is revealed at the end of the class.
Future offerings will be posted here.
Wines from Around the Globe: Wine Appreciation | $45
Are you ready to move from novice to professional wine taster? This class covers many details in the wine industry like; component tasting, learning about wine labels, cork closures, wine storage, top 5 grape varietals and tasting wines from around the globe. You’ll also enjoy a food & wine tasting experience that will guide you in proper pairings based on taste and science. This class is based on the book “Sommelier Secrets: Unveiling the Mysteries of Food & Wine Pairing “ written by the instructor, Rob Lewis.
Future offerings posted here

Headshot of Robert Taylor
"It is important to me that students of my classes come away with good information and the confidence to explore the world of wine without worrying about the hype and pretense that often accompanies wine discussions."
Robert Taylor
Faculty, Madison College

Becoming a Foodpreneur

Let Madison College help you create a plan to operate and manage an independent foodservice business! This program addresses mobile and stationary service models for entrepreneurs planning a food truck, cafe, catering service, coffee shop, popup restaurant, on-site culinary services, or festival vending. Foodpreneurs get in the kitchen to develop products and work through kitchen logistics. Receive hands-on training to practice appropriate kitchen conduct that optimizes efficiency and food safety. Students will conduct a market analysis, identify equipment and logistics needs, develop products and services, and create financial projections; all in the process of creating a business plan for a small business.

Classroom lectures are combined with hands-on practices and interactions with subject matter experts, to provide students ample opportunities to integrate theories with experience. This seven-week two-part program provides the flexibility of live remote class sessions during four of the weeks and in-person kitchen time during three of the weeks.

person inside a food truck giving food to customer
Becoming a Foodpreneur - Part 1 | $299  Class #66766

Night 1 – 2: Online live - startup content; Instructor: Kay-Tee Olds - 2/27 & 3/4
Night 3 - 4: In-kitchen - Instructor: Christine Ameigh - 3/6 & 3/11
Night 5 - 6: Online live - startup content; Instructor: Kay-Tee Olds - 3/13 & 3/18
Night 7: In-kitchen - Instructor: Christine Ameigh - 3/20

Becoming a Foodpreneur - Part 2 | $299  Class #66883

Night 8: In-kitchen - Instructor: Christine Ameigh - 3/25
Night 9-10: Online live - management content: Instructor:Kay-Tee Olds 3/27 & 4/1
Night 11-12: In-kitchen - Instructor: Christine Ameigh 4/3 & 4/8
Night 13-14: Online live - management content; Instructor: Kay-Tee Olds 4/10 & 4/15

Register Today!

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