Bringing corporate teams together is an important way for your business to thrive. Cooking and sharing is a great way to facilitate the bonding as it not only brings you out of your comfort zone, but gives you the chance to get to know other people in the business. There are many things to love about team cooking classes in Melbourne. It’s a great way to bond over the love of food and to learn things about other team member you didn’t know before. 

Team cooking events can help to solve issues in the team by providing a fun space to work together in a more casual way. It also allows for group interaction and team cohesion while discussing solutions, successes and challenges in the kitchen. Cooking team building classes can serve as a reward for all the hard work going on in the office and improve the team's overall communication skills.

It also strengthens bonds between staff and allows them to practice following instructions and the learning to adjust to any situation while increasing motivation. Sharing an experience can help workers come together in new ways they never thought possible. It allows for improved communication in the workplace and can be where friendships are formed and where skills are discovered. 

Whether you want to learn how to make Mexican cuisine, Korean food, Thai dishes, or you just want to have one big dumpling party for your teammates, Otao Kitchen is the place to do it. The classes run for two to four hours and are 100 percent hands on. Their team building sessions can be customised dependent on what kind of experience you're looking for, whether it's friendly competition or more relaxed teamwork. The classes are taught by professional chefs and can be held at their brand-new studio in Abbotsford or at a venue of your choice. 

Dumpling Party

Immerse yourself in Chinese food culture with this dumpling party making class. In this class, you’ll learn how to make your own dough from scratch, a tasty filling with your choice of protein: beef, pork, chicken or tofu, and a selection of decorative folds. 

The class experience will be guided by an expert chef, who will be teaching you all the finesse and skills to craft your own delicious handmade creations. Of course, the best part comes at the end. Eat to your hearts content, or take your creations home for your family or friends to enjoy. 

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Street Food of Asia

This exploration of popular Asian Street Food will take you through four countries. Our well-traveled chef instructors will guide you through 4 diverse cooking traditions, spanning 4 lessons, which can be attended individually or as a package. In this hands-on class, you'll be navigated through preparing numerous beautiful and tasty morsels of food.  The street food of Asia has been crafted to teach you all the skills necessary for you to be able to prepare your own Asian finger foods at home, perhaps a perfect solution for your next party at home. Whether you're looking for new and creative ideas for your next dinner party, a unique date night, we offer an engaging and thoroughly convivial experience. 

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Pizza Making Party

Discover our secret recipe to the perfect stone-baked pizza! While you learn how to make Italian pizza dough from scratch, our staff will be on hand to help the drinks flowing and the party going. Then, get ready to throw some dough! Show off your best dough-tossing skills, as you compete against your mate in the ultimate #BiggerTosser #otaokitchen challenge. Once you’ve topped your pizza with your favourite Italian ingredients, we’ll place it in our new Gozney oven - cooking the pizzas @500.degree for 90 seconds. Now you want to take take the oven home - a la the authentic Neapolitan way! We cater for gluten-free, vegan and dairy-free pizza buddies. 

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Kiwi Knife Asian Cleaver

When it comes to Asian household, everyone will have one of these. Cheap and Cheerful. The cleaver is mostly used to slice boneless meats, chop, slice. It is an excellent tool for smashing garlic and ginger and also use it to transfer food from cutting board to wok or frying pan. You can use for cut meat such as chicken, beef for making minced meats. It is multi-purpose kitchen knives. This Thai cleaver looks much like the butcher cleavers familiar in butcher shops in the west, but thinner. Made from high quality stainless steel. The blade is around 20 cm long, 28 cm height and 15 cm wood handle. Product of Thailand.

Buy On Amazon Fr $33.92

Japanese Santoku Knife

Santoku means three virtues is a blade-style perfect for chopping, mincing and dicing vegetables. This  16.5 cm Wasabi Black is the handy knife you'll turn to again and again in your kitchen. This Wasabi line of knives is made in the traditional Japanese blade styling. To reduce food sticking, the blades are sharpened on a single side or sometimes being slotted. Although it has a traditional blade-style, it is paired with a uniquely modern handle material, polypropylene blended with bamboo powder, and impregnated with an agent for super clean food preparation.

Buy On Amazon Fr $48.97

Cut Resistant Gloves

The cut resistant gloves let you handle your grater, knives, and mandolin slicer while worrying less about bandaging a finger or worse. Great for the kids too.
Made of food-safe ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, glass fibre and Spandex, these gloves have been designed to resist cuts from even the sharpest blades. We use these gloves for clients to make a salad so they don't cut themselves. Different Size.

NoCry Cut Resistant Gloves with Secure-Grip Microdots and Level 5 Cut Protection. Comfort-Fit. Food Grade, Size Medium. Includes Free eCookbook!" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: rgb(46, 145, 252);">Buy On Amazon Fr $16.99

 Whetstone 

When your kitchen knives are being used during every service you'll need to revive the blade to keep it sharp.

Just a few minutes using the 400 grit side and you'll restore dull blades. A few more minutes on the 1000 grit side and that edge will be sharper than before.

Wet the whetstone's surface to float away from the swarf. The silicone base keeps the whetstone in place, so you can keep a consistent angle.

Buy On Amazon from $26.99

Do you have a jar of garam masala in your kitchen? This blend of fragrant spices is common in Indian food. You can blend yourself one or you can buy in. If you decided to do it then you might have all the spices. But what is garam masala? 

As parents, we always aim to provide our children with the best opportunities to learn and grow. One of the best ways to do this is by enrolling them in activities that are both fun and educational, and what could be more fun and educational than cooking classes? In this blog post, we will be sharing with you four healthy cooking class ideas for your kids. These classes are designed to not only introduce your child to new and exciting cuisines, but to also encourage healthy eating and cooking habits that they can carry with them into adulthood.

1. Thai Cooking - Jan, May, Sep

Thai cuisine is known for its bold and unique flavors, making it a great choice for kids who are adventurous eaters. In this class, your child will learn how to make Kaeng- Thai curry paste, Nam Tok- 'waterfall' beef salad, and Kaeng Khiao Wan-Thai green curry. These dishes are not only delicious, but they're packed with healthy ingredients like vegetables, lean protein, and fragrant herbs and spices.

2. Japanese Cooking - Feb, Jun, Oct 

Japanese cuisine is all about simplicity and freshness, making it perfect for kids who love sushi and seafood. In this class, your child will learn how to make Makizushi- sushi rolls with salmon, shiso, avocado, or vegetarian, Okonomiyaki- cabbage pancake with bacon, and Seasonal Miso Soup with Kelp Stock. These dishes are not only healthy, but they're also gluten-free for kids with dietary restrictions.

3. Vietnamese Cooking - Mar, Jul, Nov

Vietnamese cuisine is all about balance and harmony, making it ideal for kids who love flavorful but light dishes. In this class, your child will learn how to make Fish Sauce Dipping Sauce | Nuoc cham, Vietnamese Spring rolls | Chả giò, Goi Ga | Chicken Salad, and Traditional Chicken Noodle Soup | Pho Ga. These dishes are healthy but hearty enough to satisfy the hungriest of appetites.

4. Chinese Cooking - Apr, Aug, Dec

Chinese cuisine is diverse and flavourful, with dishes that are both steamed and fried, making it a popular choice for kids who love their carbs. In this class, your child will learn how to make Hun Tun Tang- Wonton Soup, Hokkien Mee- Stir-Fried Noodles with Bok Choy, and Gong Bao Jiding- Kung Pao Chicken. These dishes are full of healthy ingredients like vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, cooking classes are a great way to introduce your child to healthy eating and cooking habits that will serve them well in the future. With these four healthy cooking class ideas, your child will not only have fun but also gain valuable skills that they can use for the rest of their life. So why wait? Sign your child up for a cooking class today and watch as they develop a love for cooking and healthy eating!

Gas vs Charcoal 

The age-old debate over which grilling method is ‘better’ involves multiple variables, from flavour to cost and convenience. While no studies prove that either is healthier, gas does burn cleaner. From a taste perspective though, many people prefer the smokier, richer taste of food cooked on a charcoal grill.

Australians eat more chicken every year than any other meat or protein. It can be a nutritious and tasty choice, but raw chicken often contains nasty salmonella. If not handled properly, the bacteria could make someone really sick! Poultry is a product that deteriorates quickly, so it’s important to know when it is fresh or not. Here are some hints to find the freshest chicken and the best way to store it.

Buying Chicken

• When purchasing chicken, make sure there’s no ‘off’ smell. Fresh poultry should have very little, or no aroma.
• If buying a whole bird, ensure the skin, flesh and bones appear undamaged.
• Chicken breasts should be plump with a very pale pink flesh.
• Chicken thighs have a darker meat. They should have a dark pink flesh and a little white fat.
• Make sure to purchase from a reputable supplier who has been approved by local authorities.
• Check that the chicken is delivered at 5C or below.
• Confirm that frozen chicken products are completely frozen and inspect the packaging for any signs of thawing.
• Don’t accept any chicken that is soft, discoloured or sticky. Pay particular attention to the wings and joints.

Storage

To store chicken, leave it in its original packaging or place in a container and cover completely. Store on the bottom shelf (or the coldest part) of your the fridge for up to 2 days. This helps prevent contaminating any foods below. Cook any raw chicken within two days of purchase and freeze whatever you don’t use. Ensure to wrap your chicken in airtight packages. Label, date and keep refrigerated at 5C or below, or frozen at -15C or below.

If freezing fresh portions, do so immediately after purchasing (in its original packaging) for up to 2 months. Alternatively, separate the chicken into serving portions, thoroughly wrap in plastic bags or cling film and freeze for up to 2 months. It is very important to thaw chicken completely before cooking. To defrost, place the chicken in the fridge on a large plate (in its original packaging). This will take between 12-24 hours. Never refreeze chicken that has already been thawed. Cooked chicken can then be frozen for later use.

Commonly Used Cuts

Whole Bird

A whole chook can be used for roasting, poaching, making stock or dishes like Vietnamese Pho or Hainanese chicken rice. Alternatively, you can flatten or “butterfly” a chicken. This is a great way to roast or barbecue a whole bird, that promotes quick and even cooking. The secret to a delicious chicken is buying the best quality you can find, such as free-range, locally sourced or organic.

Breast & Tenderloin

Chicken breast is such a versatile cut of poultry. It’s a white meat with very little fat, perfect for throwing into stir-fries, grilling, steaming, pan-frying and oven roasting. They are also great for poaching to be used in salads, soups or sandwiches. Another method brilliant for cooking a chicken breast is crumbing. Not only do the breadcrumbs keep the chicken moist, but they also give a wonderful, crunchy texture (as seen in a chicken parma or katsu). 

Chicken breasts found in the supermarket tend to be quite large with the tenderloin attached. This can make them difficult to cook through perfectly, without drying out. To ensure your chicken cooks evenly and remains juicy, you can slice the breast into even cuts or use a rolling pin to slightly flatten it out. There’s nothing worse than eating a dried-out piece of chicken, so the key is to keep it moist without overcooking. Chicken is cooked through when a temperature probe reads 73C.

Tenderloins, found underneath the breast, are a delicious and speedy cooking option. They are slightly more tender than the whole breast and are great crumbed, fried, baked, or quickly marinated and chargrilled.

Thighs

Thighs can be bought as fillets (with or without skin) or cutlets with the bone attached. Chicken thigh meat is generally darker and has a little more fat than the breast. It’s a working muscle and therefore has more flavour comparatively. Diced chicken thighs are great for BBQ skewers, slow cooking, stir-frying or thrown into soups and curries. Use the whole thigh or cutlet for roasting, bakes, barbecues and stews.

Chicken Maryland is a cut where the thigh and drumstick are attached. Marylands are good for roasting, poaching, braising and baking. They are ideal for cooking slowly over a barbecue or char-grill.

Drumsticks & Wings

Chicken wings and drumsticks are typically cheaper per kilo but are often seen as the most flavourful. They are great baked, fried or simmered in a sticky glaze or marinade and eaten with your hands. The skin to meat ratio is greater in these cuts, so the outside gets nice and crispy, while the inside stays juicy. No matter what you do with this part of the chicken, it’s bound to taste good! It’s also really difficult to overcook wings and drumsticks, making for less stressful cooking.

Mince

Chicken mince can be used in making patties, rissoles, burgers, meatballs, or cooked in Chinese dishes like wontons and san choi bao, or in Thai stir-fry’s and salads. You can substitute chicken mince in almost any recipe where pork or beef mince is used.

Whether they’re behind the counter of a major supermarket or running their own business, find a fishmonger who cares about cooking, eating and selling seafood. Wherever you are, don’t buy seafood in the same way you’d buy frozen meat or vegetables. Make it an occasion and try to eat it the same day if possible. Fish and seafood aren’t commodities you want to buy and eat the following week!

If you’ve ever been unsure of what fish sauce to buy for a particular recipe, or just wanted to stock your kitchen with some good quality fish sauce, then read on for our fish sauce guide.