Education & Classes in Brea

After a course at Village Kitchen, accomplished chefs will inch closer to pro status, while those who've chopped more fingers than potatoes will have their clumsiness exorcised thanks to patient instruction from Village Kitchen's enlightened gurus of all things edible. Classes are held Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. (some classes are also offered on Wednesdays at 6 p.m.), while the theme varies from week to week. On Wednesday, February 2, learn to master the wok to easily turn out incredible delights such as Szechuan stir-fried green beans with ground pork. On Wednesday, March 9, discover the joys of pollotarianism with a complete tutorial in a four-course feast centered around a fennel pollen roast chicken with tarragon jus, or on Saturday, April 9, craft the perfect dessert including glazed lemon cake, custard éclair rings, or fudge pecan pie. You'll eat everything you make and get a beverage, so no one escapes hungry. Classes are limited to 18 people.

Each three-hour class at Laguna Culinary Arts caters to any skill level, from expert chefs to certified microwave users. With no more than 10 people per class, the intimate classes cultivate individual, hands-on instruction, and guarantee that no one gets lost and eaten by bears during training. De-hibernate your china and entertain friends, neighbors, or your glass menagerie collection with the skills you pick up in one of Laguna's party-throwing classes. Learn how to grill goat-cheese-stuffed radicchio wrapped in pancetta and brush up your Crème Catalan skills to throw a Spanish paella party. Or craft an elegant menu of blue-cheese-dressing salad and filet mignon with blackberry sauce, ending with a chocolate soufflé ($95 per person, or $115 with wine pairings). At the end of each class, sit down to enjoy the dinner everyone has worked together to create, minus the piled dishes usually left for gnomes to clean.

Happy Cooking Co. owners and head chefs James and Jael Tanti help students and customers build a bridge between diet and wellness, aiming to prevent dangerous inflammation and maladies through healthy food preparation. The cooks' holistic techniques and toxin-free surgical-steel utensils turn fresh ingredients into medicine, family meals into daily health regimens, and cooking into an extended metaphor for disease prevention and maintaining long-term well-being. Cooking demonstrations and hands-on classes teach students to create delicious recipes such as seven-herb chicken, homemade almond milk, or potato-leek soup, preventing harmful chemical contamination and overuse of oils with Saladmaster cookware.

From garnishing a perfectly poured martini to doling out rounds of drinks quickly and efficiently, the experienced instructors at National Bartender School possess all the tips, tricks, and tools to succeed in the bartending trade. With years of industry experience under their belts, these knowledgeable spirits sages guide pupils through certification courses that cover every aspect of the job. Under their supervision, students learn to craft more than 200 cocktails, handle transactions, and practice the art of the upsell without breaking a sweat or bottle of 50-year-old scotch. Free refresher courses and job-placement assistance keep students on track even after school is through. For more focused pursuits, National Bartender School also hosts classes in specialty fields such as flair bartending and bar management.

While sailing high above Southern California in the cockpit of a Cessna Skyhawk, a pilot can look down at the land below and see everything from undisturbed wilderness to commuters stuck in traffic. The pilots and certified instructors at Fly Corona help others uncover this bird's-eye view of the world through demonstration flights and individual lessons. During demos, passengers frequently take the controls themselves as the instructor supervises, and several full aviation training programs help students work toward getting their pilot's license, an ID vital for getting into eagles' mountain-top nightclubs.

From 18 studios scattered around Los Angeles, Lori Moran Music Studios’ armada of instructors offers all-ages voice, piano, guitar, violin, and composition classes. With teachers who have worked on films such as Dreamgirls and Dance Flick, world-touring operatic productions, and Grammy-nominated choral CDs, the school can cater to virtually every musical taste—from classical to jazz to pop. Students choose the emphasis of their lessons, whether they want to work on their public performance skills, write their own songs, sight-read scores, or simply be able to play musical chairs during a power outage. Many will also get the chance to show off in recitals, concerts, and showcases.