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Publix Aprons Kitchen Classes--A Review

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For the last two years, since the lousy economy drove me to Tallahassee, I have been attending an average of one class a week at the Tallahassee Aprons kitchen classes. This is a review.

If you are a beginner, you are going to learn a lot at these classes, which are very good at teaching you the basics: how to chop an onion or other vegetable"; general knife handling skills; hwo to peel vegetables and fruits quickly and easily; how to take apart a chicken with a minimum of muss and fuss; how to make a reduction sauce; how to make a sauce of almost any flavor, using a roux; how to cook vegetables and other ingredients which you have seen in the grocery store but have had no experience handling; how to truss a chicken; how to make sushi; what folding is and how to do it; how to cook a fish "en papillote", etc.

The classes are less helpful for intermediate and advanced students because that is not where the focus of most of the classes is. The problem is that when an intermediate class is held, getting enough students willing to attend is a problem. Hopefully, as more beginners become intermediates, the number of classes in this category will expand.

Generally, even if you are an intermediate or advanced cook, all the classes are fun and you get to eat what the class has cooked, as well as drink wine (or, if appropriate, beer) with the meal.

Classes generally start at 10:00 a.m. or 6:00 p.m. The classes run two to three hours and then you eat afterward. Classes generally run $40-$50 per session and typically cover one subject. Some classes are two to six sessions long, but there are much rarer.

The beginner classes are run constantly. The intermediate and advanced classes are offered much less often. Classes are categorized in different ways: by ethnicity; by cooking technique; by type of food, etc.

All in all, it is a lot of fun. I consider myself an intermediate to advanced cook, but, by necessity, most of the classes which I take are beginner classes and I still get a lot of fun of out them. I think that it is well worth the money. Invite a friend and try it out.

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  1. Thanks for the review. My grandma gave me the aprons cookbook binder she got. I cook for her once a week.

    I find a lot of the recipes very easy but so many that she wouldn't like. lol.

    I do like that at the Publix has an aprons section in the store were they set up all the ingredients you need for the recipe of the week.

    I didn't know they had classes. Sad that they are so basic. They should try doing one intermediate class and 1 advanced class.

    I wouldn't mind signing up for fish class on how to properly fillet a fish. I'm still working on that. I usually buy it already filleted but I'd love to purchase some fresh whole fish and do it myself.

    Where would I find out more about the classes, if something is interesting it might be awesome for my husband and I. perhaps I can just go to publix.com

    1. Thanks for letting us know about the school...I have one near me and have been wonderring what it was all about...I love the idea of taking classes because even though I consider myself a better than average cook I have huge gaps in my skills and could use a class to round out my skills...

      1. Sandwich Sister, you hit it on the head. Go to the Publix website and look for "Aprons" and then "Classes." Public does not offer these classes at all its stores. It only offers the classes in one location per city or town. And, unfortunately, they are not in every town, either. Anyway, if you look on the website, you can find the cities and towns that they are located in.

        They do do some intermediate and advanced classes, just not very often.

        Also, I should mention that famous chefs like Mario Battalli tour the Publix classes from time to time, presenting demonstration programs. In these classes, you watch the chef prepare the dish and then already made versions of the dish are distributed. It's a full meal.

        But I prefer the "hands-on" classes where the instructor actually shows you how chop onions correctly, avoid slicing off a finger, etc.

        1 Reply
        1. re: gfr1111

          Thanks for the review of the hands-on classes! I've been wanting to sign up for some. I've been to a couple of the demo classes and had a blast. I really want to do a pasta class, but have missed the recent offerings. Now, they probably won't offer again until Fall. :-(

        2. It's too bad the Viking Store at Lakewood Ranch closed. Viking offers some great hands on classes.