It’s been a busy few months at Sydney Seafood School since reopening last October after a $1-million, Michael McCann-designed refurbishment – the excitement among guests and chefs alike has been exhilarating. It’s hard to know what to love most: the magnificent Sydney sandstone entry wall; the sea-green, tanned Icelandic salmon skin lining the auditorium; the sleek new stainless steel cooking islands equipped with state-of-the-art Fisher & Paykel appliances; the funky blackboard graffiti wall art; or the huge 180-degree view of Blackwattle Bay in the dining room. If you haven’t been to a class since the relaunch (or even if you have) there’s plenty to tempt you on the upcoming program.

Christine Manfield from Universal gets things started in March with her unique blend of flavours and textures, followed by Lucio Galletto from Lucio’s and Matt Moran from ARIA. In April there’s Sardinian chef Giovanni Pilu from Pilu at Freshwater, as well as Lyndey Milan with another of her popular Spanish food and wine workshops.

If you’re wondering what to cook Mum on Mothers Day, inspiration is at hand with Kathy Snowball’s delicious, seasonal 3-course dinner party class in May. And Alessandro Pavoni from Ormeggio at The Spit conducts his first Seafood School class showcasing the food of northern Italy. Meanwhile Justin North is back with more of the sophisticated modern cuisine that has made Bécasse so popular. If you love the flavours of Vietnam, don’t miss Mark Jensen from Red Lantern in June. Or for something a little more edgy, there’s Mark Best from Marque with his modern French-inspired cuisine.

Of course all of the School’s popular regular classes, including Seafood BBQ, Thai, Chilli Crab, Tapas, Moroccan and Sushi are back. Many are better than ever now that the School has gas cooktops and ovens on every bench. The Moroccan class now uses beautiful white All-Clad tagines, the garlic prawns in our Tapas class are cooked in fun, retro cast-iron pots in the oven, and authentic thin metal woks are used for Singaporean Chilli Crab and Thai curries. And if you’re a fan of spicy food, check out the delicious new Laksa class.