6k 
Cooking on the Bay
location_on St Kilda, Melbourne
local_activity classes: Italian Cooking • Spanish Cooking • Cooking • Baking and Desserts
5.0 (28)
5.0 stars (61+)
Participants in classes have commented on how Tonya generously and enthusiastically enjoys sharing her knowledge, experience and ideas. There are interesting foodie hints, tips and musings both during the sessions and whilst sharing the delicious lunch that is taken ‘at the table’, overlooking the views of the bay and beyond.
Tonya’s vibrant and engaging personality will encourage you to want to share ‘the pleasure of the table’ experienced in the morning classes with your friends and family. You will be inspired to race home and repeat the dishes you have learned in the day’s class. Tonya is Melbourne trained at Holmesglen, in Paris at Le Cordon Bleu and the Ritz Escoffier and in Burgundy at La Varenne l’Ecole de Cuisine. She has taken culinary tours to France in the Dordogne and Provence, plus she has visited regional cooking schools in the Dordogne, Normandy and in Tuscany, Italy. She regularly takes culinary tours to Marrakech, Morocco, where she perfects many of the Moroccan dishes she discovers there, cooked to perfection by her friend and chef colleague, Edwina Golombek, who owns a culinary, residential cooking school riad in the heart of Marrakesh. A visit and her pilgrim's walk along the Camino de Santiago de Compostela found Tonya in love with the history and culinary traditions of Spain, so she has added these experiences to her Spanish cuisine cooking classes as well.
Before training as a chef, Tonya was a librarian, information manager, library trainer and library consultant. Cooking on the Bay proudly owns an extensive library collection of over 3000 cookbooks and books related to food, cooking, France, Italy Morocco and the Mediterranean.
Classes
Reviews
(28)
Rodney Ball • Mar 2024
What a wonderful day of cooking exceptional Spanish food with the most awesome hosts Tonya & Joan, delightful group of fellow foodies & fabulous conversation & laughter in such an inviting & intimate environment. Tonya & Joan have created such a special ambience which reminded me very much of the many pilgrim meals we shared during our 800km Camino de Santiago across Spain last year.
I also loved the valuable tips & techniques, guidance & what utensils to use which I have now been able to put into practice.
I can’t recommend this experience highly enough & would do another cooking class with Tonya in a heart beat. Many thanks & Thank you to my wonderful husband Rod for gifting this experience…loved it
Di
Carol Ayre • Feb 2024
I have always enjoyed the many classes that I have attended in the past. Today's 'French Bistro Class" was no exception.
Tonya's a well informed teacher, with a lot of experience and knowledge. It is obvious, that she is passionate about cooking and loves to share her recipes with her guests.
The day is always fun, especially enjoying the delicious dishes on completion with a glass of wine and beautiful views of the marina.
The 'recipe booklet' with many extra special hints is so well written, it makes it so easy to recreate these great desserts at home for your family and friends.
I have actually used many of Tonya's recipes in the past, my friends are so impressed.
Thanks again for a great day, Tonya. I always learn something new.
Teacher's response
Hi Carol - Thank you so much for your wonderful review; it was thoughtful and comprehensive, plus I appreciate the time these things take to write.
I very much enjoyed seeing you again and meeting your charming friends, and of course they are lovely as they are and just like you!
I will email all the photos this afternoon and some notes as well for your information! Do let me know what you cook and how it goes. Happy Cooking!
Lisa Scort • Dec 2023
Tonya is an incredibly attentive and generous teacher. The location is so inviting and I loved that it shows you what is possible in your own kitchen at home. I will be back!
Teacher's response
Hi Lisa - I am so sorry I just noticed your lovely review; it must have slipped through my system somehowI am delighted you enjoyed the cooking class and I really appreciate your comments and feedback particularly that you will now cook these dishes at home in your kitchen. I also look forward to welcoming you back here at Cooking on the Bay! Warm regards Tonya.
Anna Xia • Dec 2023
107 ClassBento workshops attended • 105 reviews
Christmas was certainly in the air today as we prepared a scrumptious feast for a full class and a couple more guests arriving for lunch. Tuna and crab mayo salad to start, gougères which are delectable choux pastry puffs, roast pork loin with the all important crackling, succulent turkey basted in herb butter and covered in bacon, Dutch carrots, beans and hasselback potatoes, and two desserts to finish, a berry meringue roulade and chocolate berry tower all doused in whipped cream. Mmmm So good. Tonya presented me with a certificate and her signature apron in recognition of all the classes I’ve taken with her. So thoughtful and lovely. Always well fed and watered with gorgeous company.
Teacher's response
Hi Anna - I am so pleased you enjoyed the class. It is always delightful to have you in the kitchen here at Cooking on the Bay. It was a wonderful, fun and friendly class and the photos show that you cooked some excellent, delicious food! What a great review, much appreciated, thank you so much - Tonya
Anna Xia • Oct 2023
107 ClassBento workshops attended • 105 reviews
Such nice weather for a super nice French desserts extravaganza. We were served a coronation quiche with some greens just so we ate something as a basis for the waves of dessert offerings to come. Apple tart tatin with Crème Anglaise ice cream, profiteroles filled with crème pâtissière and chocolate sauce, passionfruit soufflé, basque cheesecake and speculoos which are French cinnamon short bread biscuits. Many thanks to Tonya and her assistant Sandra for a wonderful day. You’d be surprised at your own baking and cooking ability. A nice drop of rosé or sparkling certainly livened the atmosphere.
Teacher's response
Hi again Anna – many thanks again for your fabulous reviews! They are truly much appreciated and you cover the class and what we cook so very well. Happy cooking to you at home now; over to you to work the magic in your own kitchen.
Anna Xia • Oct 2023
107 ClassBento workshops attended • 105 reviews
We made some beautiful stocks today from chicken to beef to fish and crab which we used to create the sauces for a hearty three course meal. French onion soup with cheesy sourdough croutons, pork cutlet with mushroom sauce and apple sauce and a poached pear in puff pastry dessert with salted caramel and creme anglaise which you can churn to make ice cream. A real delight to the tastebuds. Bring containers to take your stocks home.
Teacher's response
Hi again Anna – many thanks again for your fabulous reviews! They are truly much appreciated and you cover the class and what we cook so very well. Happy cooking to you at home now; over to you to work the magic in your own kitchen.
Anna Xia • Oct 2023
107 ClassBento workshops attended • 105 reviews
To begin we had a Spanish frittata with potatoes, capsicum, chorizo and pecorino. Next there was the Manchego & Serrano ham choux pastry croquetas. For main we made an impressive seafood and meat paella with a most complementary saffron aioli (or as the Spanish say aliöli). And to finish a tarta de Santiago with orange juice jelly, whipped cream and a scoop of Tonya’s homemade ice cream. Such a nice way to spend Sunday and the paella I think is one of the best dishes I’ve made at Tonya’s classes. The flavours of the ingredients all combined soaked up by the rice was just divine.
Teacher's response
Thanks Anna - very kind words and a great description of the classI very much appreciate your time. it is helpful to those interested in taking the class themselves - cheers
Anna Xia • Oct 2023
107 ClassBento workshops attended • 105 reviews
Tonya hosted another fabulous culinary odyssey to Morocco this time with tales of her travels and scintillating dishes to whet your tastebuds. Mezze dishes include traditional Moroccan flatbread Barbout dipped in Bessara which is fava bean based and a second dip consisting of roasted beetroot, feta and pomegranate molasses plus honey salted eggplants. Main course was a smashing chicken B’Stilla made from whole chicken cooked in homemade stock with just amazing flavours. To finish we had a chocolate, date and almond torte with homemade bergamot ice cream and slices of cinnamon orange supremes. Tonya is a gracious host who has an eye on all the goings on in the kitchen as each team is tasked with different set of recipes. We all had a great time with a drop of wine and fab meal to enjoy.
Teacher's response
So pleased you enjoyed the class Anna - you all cooked a great lunch and enjoyed the cooking class in the process, plus learnt a lot! cheers
Anna Xia • Oct 2023
107 ClassBento workshops attended • 105 reviews
There was a full class of 8 students today for Tonya’s Mediterranean feast. Lovely people making lovely morsels of food to share together. From Tonya’s signature focaccia with caramelised onion and olives, to ricotta and feta fritters, to grilled mussels, a baked eggplant cannelloni/ lasagne dish. Dessert was equaling amazing with meringue roulade decorated with grapefruit segments, Turkish delight, pistachios and rose petals and almond shortbread. We were greeted with lemon syrup buttermilk cake and a tea/coffee to start off the day. It’s so pleasant to watch the sun shining over the Marina and the sparkling blue hues of the sea while sipping on a white or red and enjoying the fruits of our labour.
Anne Manzoni • Jul 2023
Our cooking class was held in a beautiful space, with the best ingredients and equipment. Tonya our chef/instructor explained everything well, and the food we cooked was delicious. Would definitely recommend this course, as it was a very enjoyable day.
Teacher's response
Thanks, Anne - your kind comments are most appreciated and I am delighted you enjoyed the class so much. I also enjoyed cooking and chatting with you - cheers for now
Jenny Chan • May 2023
83 ClassBento workshops attended • 81 reviews
A class where you will learn invaluable cooking tips. This class wasn’t just about making sauces, soup and stock, there was a delicious 3 course meal that we sat down to eat Tonya’s dishes are always exquisitely served up like you are dining at a fine restaurant with water sceneries. Good company including some international visitors made the class a very sociable encounter.
Jenny Wregg • Jul 2022
Thoroughly enjoyed the session everything was organised Tonya demystified a number of dishes and I feel comfortable cooking them myself, particularly the paella. To top if off, we we are able to enjoy the dishes in good company and overlooking the ocean.
Thank you
Anna Xia • Jul 2022
107 ClassBento workshops attended • 105 reviews
Tonya was very hospitable and inviting. A cozy 3 participants today cooking at her home by the bay. We had some cheese, walnuts and grapes to begin with. Then we made egg and chive mayonnaise with caviar, seed crackers and roasted beetroot, cinnamon and pomegranate dip. The main was a French chicken dish made with onions, leeks, mushrooms and apples. Served with garlic and parsley butter and vegetables on the side. For dessert we had chocolate bark with an orange salad. All enjoyed with a glass of vino and views of the Marina and sea. Happy times.
Jenny Chan • May 2022
83 ClassBento workshops attended • 81 reviews
A cooking course with peaceful water views to gaze at as you dine on exquisitely presented healthy food. Clear verbal and printed instructions helped guide us through preparation of each dish. An informative and sociable Saturday spent with some pleasant attendees and a vibrant chef.
Anna Xia • Mar 2022
107 ClassBento workshops attended • 105 reviews
The class is from 8:45am in the morning to 3ish in the afternoon just in case you were wondering. We made pasta and focaccia from scratch. Porcini mushroom risotto with the leftovers made into arancini, there was a roasted capsicum salsa to go with the focaccia, we had stuffed figs as an entree as well. Finishing off with affogato with homemade vanilla ice cream and panacotta. Tonya and Joan were lovely and joyful. There were 5 participants in total and we all had a lovely time.
Mark Luettin • Jul 2021
2 ClassBento workshops attended
I learnt how to cook duck breast and vegetables. The rest of the food is not good for my cholesterol and triglycerides. Great teacher and an interesting experience something different to my daily routine.
