Silver Whisk Cooking School, Austin

In her hands-on cooking classes, Chef Myrna Kallergis imbues students with some of the culinary expertise that has landed her gigs at the Austin Wine & Music Festival and working with Food Network's Ted Allen. At weekly customized sessions, she and occasional guests chefs–such as 2007 James Beard Award nominee Monica Pope–teach pupils how to make burgers, gourmet pizzas, and tarts from scratch. She also instructs youngsters on cooking fundamentals at summer camps, where kids enjoy light, nutritious lunches in between lessons built around themes such as food from around the world. Along with teaching, Chef Myrna helps guests improve their eating habits with calorie-counted, portioned, and packaged meal plans designed around specific wellness goals. Her venue is also designed to host small private events.