Hello, I'm Zac - chef and owner here at Dux Gutz Catering. I'm holding free cooking classes in collaboration with Communify and particularly the North West Community Hub, for adults (18+) who are most disadvantaged, particularly families.

These classes are also open to the general public as a paid event, with all proceeds going directly to Community Canteen, a local Brisbane charity that provides meals for people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, and for women and children who are in temporary accommodation as a result of domestic violence.

Classes will be held for 10-20 people in our kitchen here in Milton, where we'll cook up a selection of different meals for each other. I'll be teaching essential skills to become a confident home cook:

knife skills;
cooking with stoves and ovens and understanding heat control;
seasoning and flavour combinations;
how to cook with what's in season;
workflow, cleanliness, and how to organise your space.

We'll also sit down at the end of our cooking session and share a meal with invited friends and family (1 adult guest per participant). Each participant will go home with a selection of different meals for the week ahead.

All required equipment, food, and packaging will be funded by takings from our café here at Dux Gutz.

5:00-5:15pm: meet and greet

We'll meet in the cafe area and share a little about ourselves, talk about what we'll be cooking, and organise ourselves into groups of 2-4 per dish.

5:15-5:45/6:00pm: prepare ingredients

We'll step into the kitchen where there will be workstations set up ready to go with chopping boards, knives, tea towels, aprons, all required ingredients, and any required equipment. I'll move between workstations to give you tips and tricks, and some pointers on technique, workflow, and cleanliness.

5:45/6:00-6:45pm: time to cook

We'll cook with pots and pans on gas and electric stove tops, and we'll roast and bake in our ovens. We'll cook a range of different homestyle dishes including curry, pasta, stir fry, fried rice, tacos, roasts, frittata, quiche, fresh bread, and perhaps the occasional dessert such as a cake or crumble. Tell me your favourite food or something you’d love to learn how to cook, and I'll be delighted to include it in our menu.

6:45-7:00pm: serve up and pack down

We’ll serve up our meals in compostable containers ready to take home, and we’ll clean up the kitchen

7:00-7:30/8:00pm: eat together with loved ones

We’ll sit down in the café space at long tables and share a meal together with invited loved ones (1 adult guest per participant). It will be buffet style, with food in pots and trays ready to serve onto biodegradable plates. In warmer weather we’ll take picnic blankets out to the lawn.

7:30/8:00pm: head home

Pop your bio plates and cutlery in our compost collection bin, give your table a quick wipe down, and head on home with your collection of meals for the week ahead.