The Kitchen Engine

The Kitchen Engine is a family-run kitchen store in Spokane's historic Flour Mill, owned by Eric Frickle. It sells cookware, appliances and pantry goods and has its own café. Cooking classes and demos run in the Culinary Kitchen Classroom, a fully equipped modern kitchen inside the store.

Local chefs teach the classes, and each has a clear specialty. Jeff Halfhide teaches Sourdough Basics and Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls. Kristi Fountain, a Slow Food activist, covers scones, pies, galettes and Artisan Pizza. Chef Vira Melendez-Redman teaches farm-style Mexican dishes like chiles rellenos, flautas and chilaquiles. Nick Ivers leads Thai classes. Jamie Aquino has spent 30 years on vegetarian and plant-based cooking. Curtis Smith, a longtime chef instructor at Spokane Community College, specializes in artisan breads and pastries.

The classes are aimed at home cooks and casual food lovers more than professionals in training. Get a latte at the café before class, then look around the store for the tools you just cooked with. Culinary class gift cards work for any class at the store.