Kitchen Confidence

UPDATED: KITCHEN CONFIDENCE CLOSED IN 2022.

Fresh on the Brisbane food scene is Kitchen Confidence, fun group cooking classes run in a convenient location off Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley, where you get to learn new skills and enjoy devouring the fruits of your labour afterwards.

Classes for adults are $65pp, and there are weekly children's classes on a Saturday morning for around $35 per child, and children's school holiday cooking classes for around $45 per child. You can also book birthday parties with a difference here. Exceptional value when all the ingredients are included for the cuisine of the class, and all you need to bring is a hunger to learn plus an appetite for great food. 

Perfect for every level of cooking experience - from novices through to seasoned pros (and including workshops for kids during the school holidays), these classes are designed to inspire a taste for improving  your performance in the kitchen, from basic skills and confidence to learning secret insider culinary tricks-of-the-trade, all which will enhance your existing repertoire and give you greater meal planning satisfaction.

The concept is the brainchild of Wayne Bryans, a classically trained chef who hails originally from the UK, training under world-class chefs both overseas and in Australia before owning his own restaurant in Sydney. More recently, Wayne ran Kitchen Confidence in Bundaberg before moving to Brisbane to be closer to family. 

Classes are intimate with a maximum of 30 each session, and are a relaxed and hands-on affair. Different to run-of-the-mill cooking schools, at Kitchen Confidence there’s less of the synchronized chopping and more of the natural participation as if in your own kitchen at home, cooking for friends.

Ingredients are all locally-sourced, including from smaller nearby businesses, and Wayne doesn’t preach that everything has to be created from scratch. In our time-poor lifestyles, these classes are about making the best meal you can from what you have available, and if that means using some great, pre-cooked components, so be it. Wayne’s philosophy is that a memorable meal is built on a foundation of flavours that we layer our other ingredients on.

Each week, three or four of the top dishes from a different country are the focus, and usually include an entree, mains and a dessert. From Italian, Spanish, Indian, Turkish, Mexican, English, and Persian, to Greek, Brazilian, American, Japanese, French, Korean, and beyond – the list literally is endless. Through his own experience, Wayne calculates that he could go for 5 years without repeating a dish!

Beyond the mouth-watering taste sensations you'll experience, the centerpiece of the success of Kitchen Confidence is definitely Wayne himself. His teaching style makes you feel like you are part of the family, and he loves sharing his many tips and tricks. From ways to reduce food wastage, how best to open a stubborn jar, to which oil to use at which heat, and even down to how best to photograph your dishes to share them with your Insta friends. In fact, did you know a cake can sing? We didn't either, so make sure you ask Wayne to explain how it does.

You will walk away from Kitchen Confidence not only with a host of easy-to-follow recipe ideas in hand, but also with new-found knowledge and desire to make every meal a hit!

Need to know – The venue is fully licensed, so you can buy wine or beer to enjoy through the session – just as you would in your own kitchen, but BYO is not permitted. 

Nice to know – If there are any leftovers, patrons are able to purchase them to take home. Free parking is available onsite. Kitchen Confidence is also available for group bookings (16-30 people).

By Danella Perrins

Kitchen Confidence is a valued partner of Must do Brisbane.com