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

A Night in India | $67
Time to find out that “curry” isn’t only the yellow powder in the spice aisle. Spend a tantalizing evening in the kitchen creating a variety of Indian dishes that offer complexity and varying levels of heat. Add in a cool drink to tame the heat, and it’s a delicious night of new tastes!
#10146, Truax-Main Building, 6/10, Monday, 5:30-8:30 PM Instructor: Brad Kahn
Summer Flatbread | $67
Flatbreads are considered one of the earliest foods in civilization. Learn some history on different flatbread types. We will prepare pita, naan, and piadinas. Prepare some vegetarian flatbread originals, like Piadina Margherita and pesto pizza. Also add sweet and savory toppings like pear and blue cheese, peach, prosciutto and burrata, for some outstanding summer flatbreads!
#10146, Truax-Main Building, 6/15, Saturday, 9 AM-1 PM
Italian Cooking | $67
The secret to a perfect meatball can be yours with a little know-how, to go along with the easiest tomato sauce you’ll ever make. Then, we’ll use that sauce to build Eggplant Parmesan. Finally, a versatile roman-style pizza that makes a great side dish or a main course.
#10150, Truax-Main Building, 6/24, Monday, 5:30-8:30 PM Instructor: Brad Kahn
Build a Burger Bar | $67
Let’s start by exploring some twists on a classic burger (including a meatless version) and we’ll fire up the grill for a perfect sear on the patties while working up sauce and two kinds of quick pickles to go atop. You’ll be able to give friends and family options to create their own perfect burger.
#10144, Truax-Main Building, 7/10, Wednesday, 5:30-8:30 PM Instructor: Brad Kahn
Summer Appetizers | $47
Prepare simple appetizers, snack and seasonal beverages that will be perfect for graduations, weddings and summer outings. Students will sample a variety of food items, prepare at least one in class and take home great recipes.
#11971, Truax-Main Building, 7/17, Wednesday, 6-8 PM
Dinners with 5-7 Ingredients | $67
We all know that life is busy, so here are a few dishes that can be created deliciously with just a few ingredients and even fewer pots and pans! Explore an easy sheet pan dinner and a couple of one pot meals that showcase what you probably already have in your pantry. Discover a de-cluttered way of working in the kitchen to achieve savory simplicity.
#10148, Truax-Main Building, 8/7, Wednesday, 5:30-8:30 PM Instructor: Brad Kahn

Baking Courses

Jr. Chef Series - Baking 1 | $66
You will learn how to make leavened breads (breads that rise!) using leavens such as yeast, baking soda, baking powders or even buttermilk. We will make breads like focaccia, pita, and country biscuits! Students ages 8-13 need a guardian attending class with them. Students 14+ can attend without a guardian, with written consent.
#63709, Truax-Main Building, 5/11, Saturday, 9 AM-1 PM
Jr. Chef Series - Baking 2 | $66
Make unleavened breads using only flour, salt and water. Learn how to make breads like tortillas, flatbreads, andarepas (a South American "sandwich" made from maize)! Students ages 8-13 need a guardian attending class with them. Students 14+ can attend without a guardian, with written consent.
#63710, Truax-Main Building, 5/18, Saturday, 9 AM-1 PM

Beer and Wine Courses

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.
#62424, Truax-Early Learning Center, 5/9, Thursday, 6-8 PM Instructor: Bob Taylor
Pickles To Pinot Noir | $45
This is a fun, educational and entertaining class to teach you the basics of food and wine pairing. In this class you’ll enjoy 4 different styles of wine with 6+ fundamental taste (sweet, salty, sour, etc.,) Some of the fun foods you’ll be enjoying are pickles, cheese, salami, potato chips, cookies and more. Each pairing is evaluated to reveal a foundational strategy to successfully pair food and wine. Join Winemaker and Sommelier Rob Lewis for this engaging and insightful class.
#12041, Commercial Ave., 6/27, Thursday, 1-2:30 PM Instructor: Rob Lewis
#36751, Commercial Ave., 10/17, Thursday, 6:30-8 PM Instructor: Rob Lewis
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.
#12042, Commercial Ave, 7/18, Thursday, 1-2:30 PM Instructor: Rob Lewis
#35312, Commercial Ave, 10/3, Thursday, 6:30-8:30 PM Instructor: Rob Lewis
Beer Brewing and Serving Essentials | $329
Covers beer and brewing history, ingredients, styles and flavor evaluation with emphasis placed upon comprehensive knowledge of classic beer styles and flavor attributes. The course also covers serving practices, touches on beer and food pairings, and prepares students for the first level of Cicerone Certification. Students must be aged 21 or over.
#36072, Truax-Health Building, 9/3-11/5, Tuesday, 6-9 PM Instructor: Shawn Knoche
Wine and Chocolate Tasting | $45
Treat yourself to an evening of chocolate, wine, and good company. We will begin the evening with small tastes of white, milk, and dark chocolate pairing each nibble with a local crafted wine. The Chocolate & Wine Tasting Experience class pairs four premium Wisconsin chocolates and four local Wisconsin wines. This 1.5 hours course is just the thing to give you an in depth understanding of how to truly taste chocolate and wine to best enhance your flavor experience.
#35318, Commercial Ave., 9/14, Saturday, 1-2:30 PM Instructor: Rob Lewis
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.
#35308, Commercial Ave., 10/19, Saturday, 1-2:30 PM Instructor: Rob Lewis
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.
#35310, Commercial Ave., 11/7-12/12, Thursday, 6-8 PM Instructor: Rob Lewis
Food & Wine Pairing Education with Winemaker Rob Lewis | $65
When you learn the science behind wine tasting and food pairing, every meal going forward will be improved. A fun way to learn the science is using your taste buds! This food and wine class is like no other class as it’s a packed 3 hours of learning all about wine including; history, terminology, aging, purchasing, storing, old world vs. new world, wine making and specific grape varietals You will also be doing an isolated component tasting (sweet, sour, salty, bitter). You will enjoy 5 wines with food (chicken, olives, mushrooms, lemons, tomatoes, cheese, hot sauce) That's 5 glasses of wine with food + an amazing education! Education has never tasted so good.
#35306, Commercial Ave., 11/9, Saturday, 1-4 PM Instructor: Rob Lewis

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 | #62930

Night 1-2, 6-9 PM, Online live - startup content, Instructor: Kay-Tee Olds - 9/17 & 9/19
Night 3-4, 6-9 PM in kitchen, Instructor: Christine Ameigh - 9/24 & 9/26
Night 5-6, 6-9 PM, Online live - startup content, Instructor: Kay-Tee Olds, 10/1 & 10/3
Night 7, 6-9 PM in kitchen, Instructor: Christine Ameigh - 10/8

Becoming a Foodpreneur - Part 2 | $299 | #62956

Night 8, 6-9 PM in kitchen, Instructor: Christine Ameigh - 10/10
Night 9-10, 6-9 PM, Online live - management content, Instructor: Kay-Tee Olds - 10/15 & 10/17
Night 11-12, 6-9 PM in kitchen, Instructor: Christine Ameigh - 10/22 & 10/24
Night 13-14, 6-9 PM, Online live - management content, Instructor: Kay-Tee Olds - 10/29 & 11/5 (skip 10/31)

Register Today!

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