I was given this American BBQ cooking class experience as a birthday present. BEST PRESENT!! An awesome experience, l learned so much more re slow cooking and even more re “smoker barbecuing”. A lot of fun and we got to eat a delicious meal at the end……. OMG …..beautiful smoked brisket, pork ribs, corn and smoked stuff jalapeños, followed by Chilli Chocolate Brownie. Thank you BBQ cooking team for a great afternoon and a fantastic experience. Recommend this to anyone. We’ll be back to try the South America BBQ experience next time. I am now confident to give cooking my own Brisket ago.

🔥 🍖BBQ Master Class with Chef John and Ted – An Unforgettable Feast of Skills and Smoke! 🍖 🔥
If you're even remotely curious about mastering the grill or simply want to witness BBQ greatness up close—Chef John and Ted deliver a master class that’s equal parts education and sizzling entertainment.
From the moment the first flame was lit to the final bite of smoky perfection, the experience was flawless.
Short cut Ribs were delight.
👨‍🍳 Chef John is a culinary force of nature. His passion for BBQ is infectious, his techniques are refined yet approachable, and his ability to teach while keeping everyone engaged is next-level. Whether it was perfecting the reverse sear or explaining the magic behind his dry rub, he made sure everyone walked away with real, usable skills
🔥 Ted, the pit boss extraordinaire, brought a down-to-earth energy that made the class feel like a backyard cook-up with friends except everything was executed with professional finesse. His tips on managing heat, wood selection, and timing were absolute game changers
📝 What made it truly outstanding:
- Seamless blend of hands-on learning and expert demonstration
- High-quality ingredients and gear provided
- Welcoming, encouraging atmosphere for all experience levels
- Plenty of laughs, stories, and chances to ask questions
- Most importantly... the BBQ. Oh, the BBQ, Bourbon BBQ sauce wa top notch.
Every bite told a story of technique, patience, and passion. Whether you're a seasoned griller or a total newbie, you’ll leave this master class not just full but fired up to take your skills to the next level.
Big kudos to Chef John and Ted for making flames, smoke, and serious skill look effortless.
Highly recommend!

The USA smoking class was a generous gift from my wife, so I was really looking forward to the experience. Unfortunately, I left disappointed and hungry.

After watching the chef prepare a range of smoked meats, including the brisket, which was clearly the star of the show, we were each served a plate to sample the afternoon’s work. While others around me received decent portions, I was given a noticeably smaller serving. I’m not sure if it was a mistake or if the chef took a disliking to me, but it felt unfair.

There wasn’t much hands-on cooking, so I had expected the tasting to be a highlight. For $160, I certainly didn’t expect to leave needing to eat again once I got home.

I’m usually easygoing and easy to please, I rarely leave negative reviews but this experience genuinely left me disappointed.

Thank you for your response.
I appreciate the effort to provide context, but I stand by my experience. While I understand others may have had a positive time, the portion I received was significantly smaller than those around me, which left me feeling disappointed, especially given the cost and that this was a thoughtful gift from my wife.

I did purchase some of your BBQ rubs on the day and stayed engaged throughout, which reflects my genuine interest. However, with due respect, your response, particularly the statement that you are “confident” in the delivery of the session, does not acknowledge or validate my experience. Simply pointing to others’ enjoyment does not address the issue I raised, and your mention of guests being invited for seconds and even taking food home is the first I’ve heard of it. That detail only reinforces the sense that others had a noticeably different and more generous experience than I did.

I’m an easygoing person, generally supportive of small businesses, and I had hoped this feedback might be met with some openness. Unfortunately, your response has chosen to double down rather than engage with my experience, and that’s disappointing in itself.

Best regards,
Daniel

An absolute pleasure to spend the afternoon learning from Ben the Yoda of Chefs and his team while also being able to enjoy the fruits of our labour and a sneaky beer or two.
Loved the bargains at the end too.. picked up a beautiful knife set and a bunk a rubs to start my own journey.
A perfect way to spend a corporate experience with our customers - Time to take up smoking !

Fantastic experience from a knowledgable team walking you through a hands on bbq class, teaching the tricks and tips of the trade to sharpen up your BBQ game.

Great location
Great value
Friendly staff

Would recommend

I bought the BBQ school experience as a gift to my husband for us to do together. We already cook on charcoal but still learned lots of new things. Plus it was fun. We have already successfully repeated recipes at home and they'll also be showing up on our Christmas menu this year.

This class was great to get an understanding for how to cook meats on the BBQ. The Chefs were very knowledgable and explained the processes really well. I really enjoyed learning what to look out for when cooking steak and chicken on the BBQ, as well as tips and tricks for using the BBQ to slow cook meats. The chefs were very friendly and happy to answer any and all questions. They made the class really enjoyable and encouraged us to ask questions about BBQing, even if it was related to what they were teaching on the day. e.g. they gave me some really great tips on how to BBQ fish.
Whilst it was an enjoyable class, it wasn't as hands on as I was expecting. Everyone only cooked their own steaks, but all the other prep work was done by the chefs, with some (minimal) help from those attending the class. It would have also been a better experience if one of the chefs stayed near the BBQ when we were cooking the steaks to make sure we were looking out for the right things, and confirming we were doing it as they just taught.
The venue was not ideal as it was facilitated on the deck at the Indooroopilly Hotel. Therefore there was regular car and train noise which meant it was very hard to hear the instructors at times. It also meant we had to walk downstairs whenever we needed to use the bathroom.

It was such a great way to spend a few hours on a Sunday afternoon. I love to cook, and was looking to hone my bbq skills. I walked away with a wealth of information, as well as a full belly, as we ended by noshing on all the good things that we saw made. The team that ran the class were amazing, and I think all 23 of us in the class felt well taken care of. Top experience.

Fantastic experience! A group of about 20 were informed, entertained and treated to a delicious lunch of smoked tacos, smoked seasoned cap rump and beef short ribs. Simeon shared his years of knowledge and expertise in the kitchen and gave us the confidence to get out there and start cooking up a storm!

The Pizza Making Masterclass course was underwhelming and disappointing considering the cost. Unfortunately, I didn’t learn anything new or come away with any tips other than the very basic process of making a pizza.

Firstly, I expected the lesson to be held in a proper kitchen environment. Instead the course was held on the balcony of a pub with tables covered with plastic wrap. The balcony is opposite the train station and next to a main road so the location isn’t great when trying to listen to the chef.

The chef demonstrated how to make the dough, but we didn’t get a chance to try it ourselves, which was a major goal for most attendees. I understand the dough needs to ferment however the attendees should still practice until the consistency is correct.

During the course we ran out of pizza sauce and were forced to use bbq sauce instead. About half of the attendees had to use BBQ sauce for their pizzas, which is unacceptable for a masterclass session $140. 2 pizza ovens for 17 people was also not ideal.

I also expected to learn techniques on how to shape the pizza correctly and create a crust etc but none of this was really covered. Additionally, when it came time to put the pizzas in the oven, there was very little direction and more than half of the pizzas were burnt. I’m not sure if the chef was unfamiliar with the pizza ovens but there was no supervision to create a perfect pizza.

Overall, the experience was far below expectations, definitely not worth the cost. You will gain no knowledge on how to cook a pizza at home other than the basic process which can be found online.

Fabulous night of food & tequila. Just what the Dr ordered. The menu was perfectly matched to the tequila drinks congrats Julian, great job. The avocado & black bean salsa was amazing!!! Very clever indeed. Onwards to the Brazilian night. Thanks for all the hard work. Definitely appreciated.

Awesome way to spend a day with your mates and learn something new. Best port neck, brisket and chocolate brownie I have ever had. And all of it cooked on the big Komodo.

Fabulous cooking class with Ben & the team! De Bortoli Wines was the perfect location to show case Ben’s incredible knowledge and skill. Learned lots and enjoyed! Thank you!

My second class proved to be as successful as my first.
After enjoying the Meat BBQ course, I dared to venture on
to the Seafood course. So glad I did. I will have to practice
and absorb all learnt before moving on to the Smoking courses.
A big thanks to Julian, Steph and our chef, Drew of Canberra.
Great fun, fresh food and great people. My kind regards, Phil

Sydney Cooking School is a fun night out with a delicious meal you can recreate at home. This was such a fun evening. I did the healthy and delicious easy weeknight meals and Chef Paul is the absolute best teacher, helpful and kind. We made five dishes and I’m going to make the Asian inspired soup today in bulk and freeze for taking into work. The paella was absolutely delicious and I’m going to recreate that at home tomorrow for my better half. The instruction is so clear and informative. I have done several courses at Sydney Cooking School and now I love trying recipes at home and playing with food.
Morenna is very helpful with the enrolment process. I recommend any of the classes at Sydney Cooking School as a really fun evening out with delicious food to eat. There is always plenty of food and a glass of wine and at the end we sit down together to enjoy our creations. Try it and discover a great place in Sydney that gives you so much more than a nice meal, it actually allows you to recreate that meal at home for your loved ones.

Plant/Vegan Cooking Class I was looking for more inspiration for Vegan and plant based recipes to incorporate more variety into my weekly recipes and this class was excellent. Darrin was fun and knowledgable with all his years of being a chef and he kept the class moving at an enjoyable pace, plus the food was delicious. Morenna was very welcoming and so helpful with any questions.

I recently attended the Seafood BBQ Cooking Class at the Centennial Park location in Sydney. Located right in the middle of the park it was very picturesque and a lovely way to spend an afternoon. It was just in time for xmas and provided me with the skills and techniques I needed to cook the perfect seafood dishes for my family. I particularly loved the simplicity of the BBQ King Prawns in the Tandoori Seasoning with a Banana Sambal salsa eaten in a lettuce cup. It was an absolute hit on xmas day with the family and very easy to make! Definitely a new staple in our house! The chefs on the day were hilarious and very entertaining and very inclusive with all of us having a go at shelling, cutting and dicing and grilling on the bbq. Lovely to enjoy it with a complementary drink with option to purchase more. Many came as couples, groups of friends and a father with his 2 boys. A great way to spend time with family and friends. And you get to sit down at the end and eat it all! The perfect day out really!

Spectacular Seafood BBQ class My daughter & I did the Seafood BBQ class today with Paul who was so knowledgeable & generous with his time. With 7 yummy courses of seafood & wine, we were thrilled to learn so many new things as well as try some delicious flavour combinations. We loved it.

Really enjoyed the meat BBQ school. We cooked lamb, chicken and steak. I walk away with more confident around.the BBQ. Loved it!

Tasty, educational and inspirational BBQ seafood dinner Paul shared his extensive professional experience to help us choose, prepare and enjoy seafood from the BBQ. We shucked oysters, cooked scallops in their shells, prepared a Maldives Barramundi curry and BBQ'd a whole snapper. We ate seven courses in all with two different wines to accompany the food.

Paul inspired us with his knowledge and experience and now we have more confidence to cook seafood on the BBQ.

Exceptional seafood BBQ cooking class at Sydney Cooking School Had an absolute ball learning technics of seafood BBQ from our instructor chef Paul. In a relaxed but professional atmosphere, we learnt how to prepare 8 seafood dishes, accompanied by a couple of glasses of wine. Every dish was unique and extremely tasty. The experience was perfect in every way, to say that we were impressed is an understatement.

Can't wait for summer to finally hit Sydney so we can blow out our friends' tastebuds and show off what we learnt!

Brilliant Wow - not only was the food prepared by chef Paul tastier and of a better quality than most top end restaurants, but it was also fun and incredibly informative.
I have had a love affair with the ocean and its produce all my life and I learnt some great new recipes and very good tips which will change the way I prepare and cook seafood in the future.
Thanks Paul and team and congratulations.

Seafood BBQ involved a lot of standing around with the result being smoked Salmon which finished up like a puree (almost unedible) and a snapper overcooked (really dry). The octopus and salad and potatoes all ok. Would I go back?
Maybe to try the meat bbq as they sure can't cook Seafood.

This is our 4th time doing the BBQ school & we thoroughly enjoyed it - this time was in the Hunter Valley with local friends. The hands on approach to learning BBQ skills is what makes the day most enjoyable. Expert chefs who are dedicated to their craft & passing on their knowledge & skills. A great day out but most of all indulging in a range of smoked meats, veggies & desert - thanks guys we look forward to coming to the new school in artamon & hopefully the middle eastern school back at the HV

The best bunch of people, fantastic fun and well worth learning it will transform your cooking

Mexican taco cooking class Knowledgeable and friendly chef Brett demonstrated and taught us how to make tortillas, salsa’s and sauces. Very hands on in a relaxed atmosphere; delicious food to eat after.

Middle Eastern Banquet was awesome ….and sooo yum! Just did the Middle Eastern Banquet class and had an absolutely fantastic experience. Paul was absolutely brilliant. patiently guiding the class as we stepped through each dish, with lots of QnA along the way. I learnt so much! Topped off at the end as the class sat down to enjoy the amazing food we had just created, with a glass of wine and lots of fun banter.
Can’t wait to do the Spanish paella & tapas course.
Thanks Paul and team for a great night.
Peter.

Excellent Teacher Teacher involved us in all aspects of the process, he ensured my 12 year old granddaughter was included in the session. He made the experience fun and informative.

Constant cancellations Booked for a class which was cancelled 3 times with one time being less than 12 hours before the scheduled time. If I hadn't stayed up late I wouldn't have known it was cancelled until the morning of.

Seafood BBQ course - fantastic Great evening out with delicious food and wine. Learned loads of tips and tricks about cooking seafood on the BBQ and looking forward to trying out the recipes back at home. Big thanks to Paul who was an amazing chef!

Seafood BBQ course - fantastic Great evening out with delicious food and wine. Learned loads of tips and tricks about cooking seafood on the BBQ and looking forward to trying out the recipes back at home. Big thanks to Paul who was an amazing chef!

Fabulous cooking school with a huge variety of classes on offer I learned some great tips in the Thai Vegan cooking class. Who knew you could toast, grind and store rice for making a larb salad!

Mexican & Margaritas cooking class Mexican and margaritas
Cooking class with Brett

Great experience and a fun morning with loads of food and recipes. Also test your listening skills. A great Mexican experience and you eat your own cooking, grab the leftovers as take come treats.

Here is what we made today.

Tomatillo salsa with avocado
Tortillas
Pollo Borracho (Drunken chicken)
Mexican Rice Pila

Also provided details with additional pre made foods to make ends meet

Pulled Port

Finishing up with Strawberry & margaritas.

A very enjoyable day.

Knives Out! A great couple of hours honing our knife skills. Paul was a great teacher, offering a lot of helpful hints and excellent knowledge from his vast experience in the field.
Thoroughly enjoyable . Will certainly do some more classes. Highly recommend. A very professional company.

Hi Ben my bbq school voucher was a present from my wife Margaret .I must say it was a very interesting day I met a lot of nice people and was very impressed with Ted our chef on the day would recommend to anyone thank you Laurie

Fantastic experience! Attended a Dumpling Making Course here. Was fantastic! The venue was great, the Chef amazing & the food delicious. Small group & an added bonus of a glass of wine at the end to enjoy with the fabulous dumplings. Highly recommended - will be back.

Inspiration to cook Very well prepared class and teacher with everything in place for us to be our best cook
Plenty of help along the way to ensure our success
The best lesson is the organisation and care it takes to prepare good food and the pleasure in sharing it

Experience exceeded expectations! We had an excellent class with our expert dumpling maker Ken. The class was very interactive, and stepped through each stage of making dumplings, including providing tips for trying it at home. Our instructor was very knowledgeable and keen to make the experience one that met (and exceeded) everyone's individual expectations. For anyone interested in cooking, I couldn't recommend the classes more. While it was our first time at Sydney Cooking School, we're already looking to come back!

Not very impressed when trying to arrange a present for my partner who is blind. I did the right thing and emailed upfront to see if it would be possible for him to do the course. I was told that he would need someone there to help as staff wouldn't be able to. But then I was told I would need to pay for that person to also take the class even though they were only there to help. There was no offer for ways around this as I pointed out that to pay for 2 people plus paying for the person's time to assist was too expensive. I even offered for one of his children to attend as a helper. The point was raised that they would need to provide food for the person assisting so I asked what if they didn't eat (after all a child or adult can go 2 hours without food) or bought their own food so as to be sociable still? I was asked to call the 1300 number to speak with someone to discuss so thought this meant they wanted to speak to me about how this could possibly work or other options. I called and although the person on the other end was very polite was told straight up it was not possible for someone to assist without paying for the course. There was no disucssion about ways this could work for everyone. The final straw for me was to be told that they regularly had this types of requests and if they allowed it in this instance then they'd have to say yes to other people who wanted to bring someone to help or who wanted to bring their kids along - was to me craziness.
Essentially it came down to the fact they don't accomodate people who have disabilities or may need help unless you are prepared to pay for 2 spots - I understand this is their perogative amd the main issue I was lead to believe, is around a non-paying person taking the space that a paying customer could. I get this, they are a business and this makes sense. But what about looking at dates and offering for someone who needs support to attend a cooking session that is not full so that the helper is not taking the spot of a paying customer?

I asked why didn't they just say it wsn't possible from the beginning instead of wasting mine (and their own) time and was told 'we didn't want to say no'.

Overall very poor form - if you can't accomadate people with disabilities without needing to charge for a spot please just say this upfront please.

Hands On & Tasty! We have done many classes at Sydney Cooking School and highly recommend them all. Classes are well organised, plenty of hands on as well as lots to taste and take home if you have leftovers ! Ken who we have had for Dumplings and Japanese classes is such good value, we really enjoy his classes ..thanks Ken!

Great activity to do I did a 2hr healthy weeknight dinner class with Paul. I wish I’d done it years ago. Paul was wonderful - very knowledgeable and generous with his time (went went over by 50mins!). He passed on lots of tips and techniques as we went. We made lots of sensational dishes (Dahl, Spanish omelette, salmon, frittata, Asian pumpkin soup). All of them were sublime. The whole experience was terrific. Thank you so much.

Wanted to love this experience after seeing the website’s beautiful photos, descriptions & as we paid $300 for 2 people… but it was not worth the money. Lacklustre experience, very minimal hands-on experience, mostly standing around & listening to a BBQ process we can learn from a YouTube video. Can’t say that we learned very much unfortunately (and we don’t have much experience to start with).

Instructor was pretty funny and we had a few laughs, but that’s not worth what we’re paying for, sorry! ????‍♀️

Went to the Beer Brewing and BBQ class today. Had a great time, big thanks to Gary & Lara for your service. Would definitely recommend and look forward to doing other classes plus you get to eat the food, yum!

I had an amazing time at the Beer & BBQ class. Seamus and Lara looked after us beautifully, and I may have even learned a few tricks...