It’s Friday night. You and your spouse or date stroll into a lovingly restored Victorian in Ohio City. Built in 1880, the stately building features high ceilings, brick walls and a two-story turret that sets it apart from nearby facades. Positioned around the elegant interior are stainless steel workstations where staffers are busy prepping raw ingredients. You open a bottle of wine, grab a snack from the table and get to the business of preparing your own dinner under the guiding hands of skilled culinary professionals.
There is a pervasive obsession with food right now, says Charlie Denk, both in Cleveland and across the nation as a whole. But there are not many opportunities for people to get creative themselves in a commercial kitchen.
When Stir Studio Kitchen (4461 Lorain Ave., 440-829-3136) launches this summer, individuals, couples and small groups will have the option of trading in the boring bar scene for a night of cooking, eating, laughing and learning.
“We are a social cooking class studio where you will learn a thing or two, but we’re not there to school you or sell you kitchen equipment,” explains Denk. “We’re there to have fun. Bring your kids for a cooking class, bring a bottle of wine for a date night, or bring your coworkers and embarrass your boss when he burns the place down, and leave with a full belly from a restaurant-quality meal that isn’t boring.”
Groups are purposefully kept small, says Denk, to promote intimacy. Guests can expect class sizes of six to 12 people, with a little more wiggle room for private events. Participants will prepare a full meal – slicing, dicing and cooking as much or as little as they desire. When most of the work is done, attendees take a break with a glass of wine, maybe shoot a game of pool, before returning to the now-clean workstations for a healthy, flavorful meal.
In addition to evening classes, Stir Studio will offer weekend programs where participants prepare brunch and (one would imagine) drink mimosas.
Registration for classes, which will cost about $75 per person, begins on May 1. Expect the first classes to begin in June.
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