2025 SHARE THE LOVE OF GREAT FOOD!

Under the Pickle Tree’s Cooking School, at the foothills of the Yarra Valley, is a relaxed and convivial place to journey to south-east Asia without leaving the country. A beautiful commercial kitchen overlooks bushland in Panton Hill.

Classes are “hands on” and use the freshest Asian ingredients. You will use simple equipment and methods easily replicated in your home kitchen.

Class sizes are small: a maximum of eight with cooking done in pairs or groups to enable us to cook multiple dishes as well as build cameraderie.

Menus are inspired by my time living and working in Thailand and Vietnam and by seasonally available produce from Springvale’s fresh food and seafood markets.

Why not make a weekend of it and book into nearby accommodation. Recreational opportunities abound and include bushwalking, mountain bike riding, a visit to St Andrews market, local wine tasting and more.

We dine outdoors on an undercover veranda with commercial wok burners and charcoal cooking. Classes typically run for about 4–4.5 hours. The cost is $180 a person. This includes a Vietnamese iced coffee on arrival, a shared banquet on the outdoor deck with your choice of a Thai beer or local red or white wine and recipe cards to take home.

Private classes - with a custom-made menu - are available on a day of your choice. Private lunches and dinners fully catered in a bushland setting or at your home are also available. Minimum group size is 6 people. For further details contact Kelly on 0418 534 511 or email kelly@underthepickletree.com.au.

Cancellation Policy: On Extreme and Code Red Fire Danger Days classes will be rescheduled or a full refund offered.

Classes only run with a minimum of six people. If there are insufficient people booked into a class, you will be offered a full refund or a transfer to the next available class of your choice.

Gift vouchers are also available.

SUMMER CLASSES 2025

Summer is for salads and barbecues and this is where south east Asian food excels as it can be pre-marinated and ready for when the guests arrive. At its best meats and seafood are cooked over charcoal, salads are raw, crunchy and have a tangy dressing. Let me teach you how to make marinades that will rock your next BBQ and salads using the freshest seasonal ingredients. All my classes are collaborative. Cook and chat, informal, informative. You will go away with a deeper understanding of essential Asian ingredients and how to balance sweet, salty, sour and spicy. Most menus are adaptable for vegetarians and are generally gluten free.

An Asian Breakfast - Sunday, January 31st - 10.00 am start - BOOK NOW

I am not a fan of cereal and still hanker for those savoury street food dishes I ate for breakfast in south-east Asian. I have three classic Thai breakfast dishes in this class: a congee, a stuffed Thai omelet and those delectable Thai coconut pancakes. Don’t miss this class. It is totally unique.

2026 A Spice Odyssey - Sunday, February 15th - 10.00 am start - BOOK NOW -

I recently returned from several months in the outback and packed a rack of custom-made spice mixes that allowed me to cook exceptional food in remote locations. I want to share these mixes and know how with you before the summer holiday season. This class is not strictly Asian but will include Thai, Mexican and Middle Eastern spice mixes and marinades. You will not only enjoy a banquet at the end but go home with a spice kit ready for summer.

Cost is $180 per person

I am available for private cooking school bookings on a date of your choice and a menu to suit your dietary needs. I can also cater for your events or cook private dinner parties.

I also run personalised market tours of Springvale’s fresh food market that are perfect for small groups of four people. They include iced coffee and Vietnamese dumpling tasting, a shared lunch, a tour of the seafood market, fresh vegetable and cooking supply stores.