Diane's Market Kitchen

Diane's Market Kitchen is a small Seattle cooking school run by Diane, who turned a concrete garage into the space herself. She designed it to feel like a home kitchen, with no commercial ovens or cooktops, granite counters and hand-painted chairs. Her classes lean on Pike Place Market, where she has worked with vendors for decades. While you cook, she tells the stories of the farmers and producers behind the ingredients.

Classes are hands-on and most run three hours. Pasta 101 teaches fresh pasta for a Northern Italian lasagna Bolognese. Mexican 101 covers red enchiladas, green rice and flan, and the whole menu is gluten-free. Seafood Secrets recreates dishes from Seattle restaurants, including her signature salmon with pistachio tarragon cream sauce. Cooking and Eating Local adds a market tour and runs four hours for 6 to 12 people.

Open enrollment dates are posted on her calendar, and you don't need any cooking experience. Groups book private dinners for birthdays, bachelor and bachelorette parties and team building. It holds a 5 rating from 46 Google reviews.