As we’ve been going into winter, I’ve been thinking more about what I could do to get outside the house. So many people say Canberra is boring, but I’ve been on a mission to find events that say otherwise. That’s what led me to scrolling ClassBento one night: I’d heard good things about the painting classes they offered and wanted to see what else they had.
They had plenty! Some that stood out to me were ring making, perfume making and candle making, but I’d seen an ad for Domino’s and thought, what about pizza making? There it was: a pizza making masterclass, hosted by BBQ School. I reached out to ClassBento and they were more than happy to send us to the masterclass.
Founded by Ben Farley in 2004, BBQ School was built on a simple, brilliant goal: to create a fun, engaging, and hands-on environment where people could learn to cook with maximum flavour. Ben brings an impressive 34 years of commercial experience to the table. He polished his craft in high-profile Sydney restaurants like Bilsons, and in Michelin-starred establishments abroad, including the legendary Mirabelle in Mayfair, London, where he worked under the tutelage of the iconic Marco Pierre White. Ben’s immense experience and deep passion for food shone through the entirety of the masterclass.
Accompanying him was Ted O'Gara, who has been a professional Chef since the age of 16. Ted is an industry professional who led large-scale production teams at the Sydney Olympics. He then managed large production kitchens across the ICC and stadiums nationwide, including Accor Stadium and the MCG. Ted leads teams across NSW in Sydney, Canberra and the Hunter Valley. His love of BBQ stems from his passion for all things live fire and low-and-slow cooking, and he enjoys sharing his knowledge at classes with as many people as possible.
My cooking skill? I can follow a recipe and 75% of the time, it will turn out good. I was keen to see if this cooking class would boost my success rates to 80%. Spoiler: I’d say it did.
The class was held at The Dugout in Jerrabomberra, a modern, sleek, and highly inclusive venue that gave us a perfect opportunity to leave Canberra without having to venture too far.
From the moment we arrived, we felt welcome. Ben and Ted were warm and accommodating, immediately offering us a choice of drink and an apron to slap a name tag onto. As we introduced ourselves to the rest of the group, it was clear we had a diverse mix of cooking skills in the room. What everyone did share, however, was a profound passion for pizza. Most of the attendees had recently invested in a BBQ or a standalone pizza oven and wanted to unravel the secrets of the perfect homemade dough to impress their loved ones.
If you’re like me and don’t own a pizza oven or a backyard BBQ, don’t fret, they aren’t a prerequisite to enjoying the class. The recipes and techniques we covered translate perfectly to a standard indoor kitchen oven.
In the age of the internet, it’s easy to think you can learn everything you need just by watching culinary tutorials on YouTube or reading articles about it. Experiencing it in person completely shifted my perspective. There is a world of difference between watching a screen compared to actually being in the room, especially when it comes to getting immediate, real-time feedback and tips from a professional. The hands-on, sensory experience was well worth it.
Ben and Ted got us stuck into the culinary action right away. First, we dove into the delicate art of making fresh ricotta from scratch. The process—which involves precisely heating the milk, introducing a splash of acid to separate the curds, and gently straining it—was a great deal of fun. Don’t be in a rush to pour out the whey either – it’s great for pizza and bread making, and some folks use it for their gardens.
We tossed the warm curds into a vibrant, fresh salad, and trust me when I say we could taste the difference between fresh, homemade ricotta and the store-bought tub variety. It was pleasantly surprising just how straightforward the process is once you know the core steps.
Following the salad, we were introduced to jalapeno poppers. When we’re making pizza, we’re already chopping up a variety of ingredients, so using them as the fillings for the poppers made for a fantastic, low-effort side dish. They were spicey and tasted fantastic!
If you’re unsure which ingredients to put on a pizza, check out this awesome recipe by Lady and the Gentlewoman.
A rainbow-inspired recipe to keep the celebration of Pride going all month long (and beyond!)
Next on our list was poached pears. As someone who had never poached anything before, I was happy to give it a try. They were great on the pizzas, and I think they’d be great with a side of ice cream too.
With the sides prepped, we moved on to the main attraction of the class: the pizza dough. We learnt that great dough requires a patient 48-hour ferment to rise and develop its character, and so Ben had thoughtfully prepared a batch for us to use on the day.
Before we got our hands on his batch, he showed us how to make our own from scratch. He gave us plenty of fantastic tips on how to mix and knead it, and what the correct texture would resemble. When we were done, the chefs packed our freshly made dough away for us, so we could take it home after the class.
One tip that stood out to me was the idea that you should use semolina instead of flour when you’re stretching your dough. I’d always used flour previously, so I liked the idea of using semolina instead. Once our pizzas were stretched and layered with toppers, the chefs showed us how to place them in the ovens. A few pizzas went astray when folks didn’t use enough semolina, or too many toppings, and that made the class crack-up.
The entire experience was fantastic. It was lots of fun, and throughout it all, Ben and Ted’s professionalism and warmth truly stood out. They were incredibly easy to talk to, answered every hyper-specific question the class threw at them, and were deeply accommodating.
Before the class, I was worried about how dietary requirements would be handled, but they did a fantastic job catering to the vegetarians in the room (myself included) and assured me they can easily adapt the menu to fit almost any dietary need with advance notice.
Remember those poached pears we prepared earlier? They made a great comeback on the dessert pizzas the chefs whipped up for us to close off the masterclass. We were treated to two styles of sweet pizzas: a decadent strawberry and Nutella one, and the poached pears paired with a rich mascarpone cream. To say they were "delicious" honestly doesn't do them justice.
It was an incredible day spent with a fantastic group of people. We walked away having mastered a suite of new culinary skills in a warm, welcoming environment. We went home with full stomachs and newfound kitchen confidence, and of course, a ball of dough to practice with. Post class, we received a comprehensive e-book packed with every recipe we covered during the class, so we could practice in our time.
The class blew my expectations, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a fun cooking class where they can learn how to better their cooking game. Am I ready to have an at-home pizza party now? I’d say yes: I’ve got everything from entrees to desserts covered. Next on my bucket list is acquiring a pizza oven (or more realistically, a pizza stone for my oven)!
"We walked away with full stomachs, newfound kitchen confidence and a reminder that some of the best connections are made around food."
Pizza-making stood out to me, but BBQ School has a range of classes to choose from, and they can also help with private cooking classes and home parties. You can take a look at their options on the ClassBento site, and if cooking classes aren’t your style, you might find something else on there too!
An incredible masterclass with a fantastic group of people. We walked away having mastered a suite of new culinary skills in a warm, welcoming environment.
