Harvest Experience
ProHighlights
- Hands-on classes in a purpose-built cooking studio on a small Drysdale farm, using fruit and vegetables grown in the property's own garden.
- Every class on the program can be taken as a private booking for a group of friends or family, with dates arranged directly with the hosts.
- Classes end around the table, eating what the group has made with a glass of Bellarine wine, and most send guests home with jars or extra pasta.
About Harvest Experience
Harvest Experience is a cooking school run by Michelle and Greg from their small farm in Drysdale. After leaving corporate careers for the Bellarine Peninsula, they planted a productive garden, kept chickens and began bottling, preserving and making cheese, olive oil, wine and cider from what the land produced. Weekends spent cooking with visiting friends grew into the classes they run today. The signature class sees guests pick produce from the garden, decide on a menu together and then cook it in the studio. Other classes cover handmade pasta with fettuccine and ricotta-filled ravioli, mozzarella and pizza baked in the wood-fired oven, a preserving workshop turning garden fruit into jams and pantry staples, and a fermenting class making sauerkraut, kimchi and pickles. Pasta classes are held in the cooler months, from May to September. Any of these classes can be booked privately, which makes it an easy pick for a birthday with a small circle of friends or a family get-together. Guests need to be 16 or older and should wear closed shoes in the studio, and each small class finishes with the group sitting down to eat what they have made, usually with a glass of local wine. Dates for private groups are arranged with the hosts, and payment is taken by card, PayPal or bank transfer.
Inclusions & amenities
Activity type
Price range (per person)
Setting
Pricing
Bookings are non-refundable. With 14 days' notice or more a place can be transferred to another available date, and a substitute guest can attend at any time.
Food
Beverages
Availability
What's Included
Frequently asked questions
Can we book a private class for our own group?
Yes. Every class on the Harvest Experience program can be run as a private session for a group of friends or family, with the date arranged directly with the hosts rather than chosen from the public calendar.
How much do the classes cost?
The pasta, mozzarella and pizza, preserving and fermenting classes are each listed at $140 per person. That covers the hands-on class, the meal or tasting shared at the end and whatever the class sends home, such as jars of preserves or ferments.
Is there a minimum age?
Guests must be 16 or older to take part. Closed shoes are required in the studio for safety, so sandals and thongs should be left at home on the day.
Can dietary needs be catered for?
The hosts will try to work around food allergies and intolerances if they are raised before booking. They are not able to cater for paleo, vegan, fructose-free or halal diets, so groups with those needs should check first.
What happens if someone can no longer attend?
Bookings are non-refundable because classes are kept small. With at least 14 days' notice a booking can be moved to another date if one is free, and with less notice you can still send someone else in your place.
Where we are
Suitable occasions
Glenn Jackson
2 weeks ago
Booked a private cooking experience for my son's 18th birthday. Communication up to the day was smooth. We kicked off the day with a wander through the orchard and garden with a chance to pick some fresh produce. A me…
Michael Zerafa
a year ago
Attended cooking class. Michelle was excellent having an incredible well organised cooking class starting with selecting ingredients from her veg gardens. Able to sample fresh fruits currently available, have never taste…
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