Couples Cooking Class: Japan

Japanese cooking is built on precision more than almost any other cuisine: the exact temperature of oil, the exact ratio of a sauce and the exact texture a batter needs to hit. You and your partner will apron up and work together to build a menu around that precision, from crisp tempura to a rich, comforting katsudon. You’ll be cooking alongside a group of other couples too, with plenty of room to make new friends, share a laugh, and break bread once everything’s plated. Once the cooking’s complete, you’ll sit down together in one of our dining rooms and enjoy the meal as a group.

Curriculum

Amuse-bouche
A Chef’s creation to kick off the evening and set the tone for your journey into Japanese cuisine, a small, thoughtfully composed bite meant to wake up your palate before the real cooking begins.

Tempura Shrimp
Shrimp, mushrooms, and zucchini get dipped in an ice-cold tempura batter and fried in oil kept at a precise temperature, the kind of detail that separates real tempura from anything you’d get out of a bag. The result is a shatteringly light, almost lace-like crust that stays crisp instead of greasy, paired with a ponzu sauce that brings just enough citrus and salt to cut through the richness of the fry.

Chicken Katsudon
A perfectly breaded chicken cutlet gets fried to a deep golden crust, then set over a bowl of stir-fried rice glazed in teriyaki, finished with seasonal greens for balance. It’s the dish that Japanese comfort food is built around: crisp meets tender, savory meets sweet, the kind of bowl that feels like a genuine occasion instead of a quick weeknight fix.

Coconut Mochi
Rice flour and coconut puree get worked into a dough with a texture that’s notoriously hard to nail, chewy without being tough, soft without falling apart, then rolled in toasted coconut flakes for a bit of crunch against that pillowy interior. It’s a small, refined dessert built entirely on precision, the kind of bite that makes it obvious why mochi-making is considered a real skill in Japanese kitchens.

Couples cooking classes are $249+HST per couple. A $49 deposit is required today to reserve your spot, which is non-refundable. The remaining balance of $200+HST will be billed in-store on the day of your event, along with any additional food or beverages you purchase.