This is not a cooking class, but a gathering of people, known or unknown, connecting over a 3-course lunch!
I was listening to an episode from The Imperfects podcast recently, when this idea came to me! Over the years, since the increase of social media use and especially since the covid pandemic, levels of isolation, loneliness and disconnect amongst humans has increased dramatically! It was very disheartening to hear that these levels are at their worst ever! And it occurred to me; organise a gathering for lunch here at The Village Cooks – not a cooking class – but an assembly of people around my table where we can sit and chat and connect together over a glorious Italian lunch which I have prepared! This is right up my ally as I love people, I love to cook & bake, and I love to entertain!
TO BOOK USING GIFT VOUCHER: Please email angela@thevillagecooks.com.au with your contact details and voucher number. Angela will reply with booking confirmation or if extra payment is required.
I’m so excited to announce that I will be hosting a Melbourne Food Tour this coming October 2025! I have been dreaming of this Food Tour to Melbourne for many years, (I actually had one ready in early 2020, but COVID had other plans!). Well I’m back baby and have a great three days planned! It will be a cosy intimate group of 6 plus me! I will be your host, your guide, your cookery instructor (well for one class together), and your all-round good person! Ha! Melbourne is the next best thing to Italy in Australia for me and I’m so excited to share it with you!!
Let me share just a few things to expect on this Food Tour in Melbourne:
• Accommodation is booked in a brilliant designed home with desirable kitchen around the corner from South Melbourne Markets (see pics)! There are two room package options available- 2x one person private rooms and 2x shared rooms so gather your partner and/or friends. More details on these options and pricing to come.
• I will conduct a MARKET-TO-TABLE cooking class from our wonderful kitchen on our first day. We will walk just around the corner to South Melbourne Markets to purchase our produce then return to cook & bake together for our first evening dinner!
• I have another class planned for Day 2! This time with Paola Bacchia from @italyonmymind. We will make our way to Paola’s home for an afternoon baking of Apple Strudel! Oh what joy this will be!
I have lots more planned so if you would like to receive the full 3 day Itinerary plus accommodation details as well as package prices, please email me here at angela@thevillagecooks.com.au.
I look forward to sharing my Little Italy (Melbourne) with you!!!!
TO BOOK USING GIFT VOUCHER: The Village Cooks Gift Vouchers are not redeemable for this event.
Join me for a 3 course Napoli inspired lunch. We will cook and bake 3 meals typical of the Italian region – Naples. My love of Italian cooking and baking steams from my southern Italian heritage, where both my parents hailed from the Italian region of Calabria.
Whilst I am very familiar with the Italian cuisine of the south, I do love the traditional cooking/baking from all the regions of Italy which I will explore in these Italian Regional cooking classes!
In this regional Italian cooking class of Napoli, we will start with the popular street food known as Pizza Fritta, then we will make our own spaghetti for one of my favourite dishes, Spaghetti alle Vongole, and to finish, we will bake the very popular Napoletana Carnevale torta called Migliaccio (a ricotta & semolina cake).
Join me for a wonderful day of cooking and baking Napoletana style!
This class has some demonstration & is mostly hands-on.
TO BOOK USING GIFT VOUCHER: Please email angela@thevillagecooks.com.au with your contact details and voucher number. Angela will reply with booking confirmation or if extra payment is required.
Join me for a great day of making fresh pasta (two different types of pasta dough – one with egg, and one without). We will do this all by hand!
You will learn how to shape both pastas in two very authentic Italian shapes – again all done by hand. In addition, we will prepare sughi (sauces) to compliment our pasta dishes. We will end the day by sitting alfresco style to enjoy the fruits of our labour (our pasta) with a class (or two) of vino.
TO BOOK USING GIFT VOUCHER: Please email angela@thevillagecooks.com.au with your contact details and voucher number. Angela will reply with booking confirmation or if extra payment is required.
Preserving fruit & vegetables (and other ingredients) is an ancient art form, born out of necessity (not trend). When refrigeration and a good steady income were few and far between, preserving homegrown produce was essential. It also allowed for out-of-season ingredients to be enjoyed yearly! My Southern Italian parents knew this all too well and carried on with preserving traditions when they migrated to Australia from Calabria, Italy in the early 1960’s. Whilst I didn’t appreciate this process as a child, I absolutely value it now! Today, not wasting produce is imperative for reducing costs and waste in landfill – so imperative for our future!
Join me for a great day of preserving like an Italian. I will share the basics of preserving and various ways one can do so! There is preserving under oil, brine and salt; pickling; jamming; drying; syruping, and much more! There is much information to cover and I will summarise it all in an easy format which will see you preserving like an Italian every season!
This is a hands-on cooking class with some demonstration.
TO BOOK USING GIFT VOUCHER: Please email angela@thevillagecooks.com.au with your contact details and voucher number. Angela will reply with booking confirmation or if extra payment is required.
Minimum 6 people & maximum is 8 people for a private cooking class.
Cost $200 per person
Cooking class will include a 3 course Italian inspired lunch using seasonal produce and homemade ingredients such as pasta, ricotta, etc. Cooking class menu can be tailored to suit the needs/wants of attendees.
TO BOOK USING GIFT VOUCHER: Please email angela@thevillagecooks.com.au with your contact details and voucher number. Angela will reply with booking confirmation or if extra payment is required.
Minimum 6 people & maximum is 8 people for a private cooking class.
Cost $200 per person
Cooking class will include a 3 course Italian inspired lunch using seasonal produce and homemade ingredients such as pasta, ricotta, etc. Cooking class menu can be tailored to suit the needs/wants of attendees.
TO BOOK USING GIFT VOUCHER: Please email angela@thevillagecooks.com.au with your contact details and voucher number. Angela will reply with booking confirmation or if extra payment is required.
Join me for a 3 course Pugliese inspired lunch. We will cook and bake 3 meals typical of the Italian region – Puglia. My love of Italian cooking and baking steams from my southern Italian heritage, where both my parents hailed from the Italian region of Calabria.
Whilst I am very familiar with the Italian cuisine of the south, I do love the traditional cooking/baking from all the regions of Italy which I will explore in these Italian Regional cooking classes!
In this regional Puglia cooking class, we will start with Focaccia Barese con Burrata e Olive (from the Bari, Puglia), then we will make the popular pasta shape Orecchiette with a seasonal sauce (I hope to have cime di rapa growing in my garden for a typical Pugliese pasta sauce) , and to finish, we will bake the very popular Lecce treat called Pasticciotti (crema pasticceria with a hint of lemon which is encased with pastry and baked).
This class has some demonstration & is mostly hands-on.
TO BOOK USING GIFT VOUCHER: Please email angela@thevillagecooks.com.au with your contact details and voucher number. Angela will reply with booking confirmation or if extra payment is required.
Angela is very excited to be continuing her series of Italian Regional cooking and baking workshops for 2025 to celebrate her Italian heritage!
Join me for a 3 course Sicilian inspired lunch. We will cook and bake 3 meals typical of the Italian region – Sicilia. My love of Italian cooking and baking steams from my southern Italian heritage, where both my parents hailed from the Italian region of Calabria. Whilst, I am very familiar with the Italian cuisine of the south, I have an interest in the traditional cuisine of all Italian regions – north, south, and everything in-between!
In this regional Italian cooking class of Sicily, we will commence with ‘Bruschetta Caponata’, then we will hand-make fresh ‘Busiate pasta con Pesto Trapanese‘ – so very typically Sicilian! To finish, we will treat ourselves to ‘Sfinci’ – Sicilian Doughnuts!
Join me for a wonderful day of cooking and baking Sicilian style!
This class has some demonstration & is mostly hands-on.
TO BOOK USING GIFT VOUCHER: Please email angela@thevillagecooks.com.au with your contact details and voucher number. Angela will reply with booking confirmation or if extra payment is required.
It’s the season for preserving TOMATOES! In this workshop, you will learn how to preserve tomatoes in traditional Italian ways: Salsa di Pomodori (Tomato Passata), Pomodori Pelati (Bottled Peeled Tomatoes), and other tomato preserving products . You will no longer need to purchase tinned tomatoes or bottled tomato passata. You will be thrilled at how easy & simple it is to preserve and produce these wonderful tomato products.
TO BOOK USING GIFT VOUCHER: Please email angela@thevillagecooks.com.au with your contact details and voucher number. Angela will reply with booking confirmation or if extra payment is required.
It’s the season for preserving TOMATOES! In this workshop, you will learn how to preserve tomatoes in traditional Italian ways: Salsa di Pomodori (Tomato Passata), Pomodori Pelati (Bottled Peeled Tomatoes), and other tomato preserving products . You will no longer need to purchase tinned tomatoes or bottled tomato passata. You will be thrilled at how easy & simple it is to preserve and produce these wonderful tomato products.
TO BOOK USING GIFT VOUCHER: Please email angela@thevillagecooks.com.au with your contact details and voucher number. Angela will reply with booking confirmation or if extra payment is required.
