CLASSES
Dive into the world of local, seasonal food with us!
Our classes are led by renowned baker Michael James and his partner Pippa. A chef by profession and a baker by passion, through our classes Michael shares his considerable knowledge and skill, interwoven with the Urbanstead vision of an abundant, joyous and delicious lifetime of great eating.
Learn about fermentation, or bake your way from savoury to sweet in classes that are informative, interactive and loads of fun. Whichever class you choose, our aim is that you will go home with a full belly, inspired to apply new techniques at home, informed and empowered to think differently about the food you choose.
Check out our upcoming offerings below, located in Abbotsford, Naarm / Melbourne. Buying for someone else? Our Gift Vouchers make an excellent gift for your favourite foodie.
We will happily create bespoke classes just for you. From corporate team building to community connection, if you’re looking for a fun, engaging activity for your group, get in touch!
We look forward to meeting you soon.
UPCOMING
From creating and maintaining a lively starter culture, to achieving the perfect crust in your home oven, our original sourdough baking class opens the door to a lifetime of better bread.
This hands-on class covers all the important elements of home bread making. Learn about the power and importance of choosing good grains and the foundations of fermentation. This guided, hands-on lesson will help you build confidence and improve your home baking, whether it’s your very first loaf or you’ve been practising for years.
This class covers our asic sourdough recipe:
flour selection
the importance of an active starter
mixing, proofing, shaping and baking your bread
We create a relaxed and inclusive environment where everyone is welcome. The class caters to the level of bakers in the room on the day, from beginners to experienced bakers. This class largely involves hands-on learning, with plenty of time to ask questions and create connections.
The class includes:
coffee and tea
a light lunch and refreshments
recipe booklet
a healthy, active starter culture to take home
a dough to bake at home
The class starts at 11am and finishes around 3pm, including a break for lunch. You will finish the day with new knowledge and inspiration, ready to continue your bread baking journey at home.
Class location
The class is held at Urbanstead - 203 Langridge Street, Abbotsford.
We are well connected to public transport. We are a five minute walk from Collingwood station (Hurstbridge and Mernda Lines). The 12 and 109 trams run along Victoria Street, also a five minute walk. Multiple buses run along nearby Hoddle Street.
Free street parking is available nearby, it is unmetered and untimed on Sundays.
Class cancellations
Please note that our classes are non-refundable and non-transferable unless we are able to fill your place from our waitlist.
In the unlikely event that we have to cancel a class we will offer a transfer to a new date or a full refund.
If you have any queries about this class please email us at hello@urbanstead.au.
Are you ready for your next bread-venture?
This class is for people who’ve taken our original Sourdough baking class or have some home-baking experience, and want to expand their knowledge and skills. Together we’ll look at inclusions in your doughs as a way to broaden your sourdough repertoire.
This guided, hands-on lesson will help you build confidence and improve your home baking: another step in the never-ending exploration of sourdough culture. It’s also a great opportunity to bring all your questions and troubleshoot with Michael any baking issues you’ve come up against, working in community to build skills and create connections.
This class covers:
how to vary your dough through use of different flours
inclusions for flavour and texture - what to add, when and how to add them
guided practice mixing, proofing, shaping and baking your bread
We create a relaxed and inclusive environment where everyone is welcome. The class caters to the level of bakers in the room on the day, from beginners to experienced bakers. This class largely involves hands-on learning, with plenty of time to ask questions and create connections.
The class includes:
coffee and tea
a light lunch and refreshments
recipe booklet
the loaves you shape and bake in class
your dough to bake at home
The class starts at 11am and finishes around 3pm, including a break for lunch. You will finish the day with new knowledge and inspiration, ready to continue your bread baking journey at home.
Class location
The class is held at Urbanstead, Abbotsford.
We are well connected to public transport. We are a five minute walk from Collingwood station (Hurstbridge and Mernda Lines). The 12 and 109 trams run along Victoria Street, also a five minute walk. Multiple buses run along nearby Hoddle Street.
Free street parking is available nearby, it is unmetered and untimed on Sundays.
Class cancellations
Please note that our classes are non-refundable and non-transferable unless we are able to fill your place from our waitlist.
In the unlikely event that we have to cancel a class we will offer a transfer to a new date or a full refund.
If you have any queries about this class please email us at hello@urbanstead.au.
Learn to make your own Puff and Flaky pastry, and how to use them.
Explore the uses of these versatile pastries, from savoury to sweet, and leave feeling confident to tackle pastry at home.
From the ingredients you choose to the techniques you use, from basics to whole grain and other variations, this class opens the door to a world of beautiful bakes. This hands on class aims to demystify the process and help you gain confidence and skills for all of your pastry bakes.
The class includes:
coffee, tea and house-made sodas
a light lunch and refreshments
recipe booklet
the flaky and puff pastry blocks that you make with us
bakes from the class to enjoy at home
Our day will start at 10am and will finish around 3pm.
Class location
The class is held at Urbanstead - 203 Langridge Street, Abbotsford. Free street parking is available nearby.
We are well connected to public transport. We are a five minute walk from Collingwood station (Hurstbridge and Mernda Lines). The 12 and 109 trams run along Victoria Street, also a five minute walk. Multiple buses run along nearby Hoddle Street.
Class cancellations
Our classes are non-refundable and non-transferable unless we are able to fill your place from our waitlist.
In the unlikely event that we have to cancel a class we will offer a transfer to a new date or a full refund.
If you have any questions about this class please email us at hello@urbanstead.au.
A sweet baking class exploring a variety of flavours and techniques in biscuit making.
Drawing on recipes from our books, we’ll cover multiple techniques in a class that is fun and relaxed. We will be making Monte Carlos, Wholewheat Digestives, Ginger Fairings and Cardamom shortbread. You will go home with a Biscuit Tin filled with wholesome and delicious biscuits you made yourself.
The class includes:
coffee and tea
a light lunch and refreshments
recipe booklet
your very own Biscuit Tin to take home
The day starts at 10m and will finish around 3pm.
Class location
The class is held at Urbanstead - 203 Langridge Street, Abbotsford. Free street parking is available nearby.
We are well connected to public transport. We are a five minute walk from Collingwood station (Hurstbridge and Mernda Lines). The 12 and 109 trams run along Victoria Street, also a five minute walk. Multiple buses run along nearby Hoddle Street.
Class cancellations
Our classes are non-refundable and non-transferable unless we are able to fill your place from our waitlist.
In the unlikely event that we have to cancel a class we will offer a transfer to a new date or a full refund.
If you have any queries about this class please email us at hello@urbanstead.au.
Get ready for seasonal feasting and gifting! Join us for one or both of our Christmas Baking classes, covering a multitude of seasonal goodness.
Sunday 26th July - Christmas in July
Get ahead with your Christmas prep, then sit back and enjoy the long run-up to to the festive season, knowing there’s one less thing to tackle at the pointy end of the year.
In this class we will make Christmas Pudding, Christmas mince and Candied citrus for use in your seasonal bakes. We’ll cover how to store and care for each item, how to serve or use them, and how to source the best ingredients for your seasonal feast.
The class includes:
coffee and tea
a light lunch and refreshments
recipe booklet
Christmas Pudding
fruit mince for your mince pies
a jar of candied citrus
Sunday 22nd November - Not the Silly Season
This class is designed as an antidote to the silly season. Together we will slow down and lean into the beauty of our favourite Christmas bakes, including Gingerbread, Pistachio & sour cherry nougat and Christmas Cake.
The class includes:
coffee and tea
a light lunch and refreshments
recipe booklet
Christmas Cake
pistachio & sour cherry nougat
the gingerbread you bake in class
Book both classes for a reduced price!
About our classes
We create a relaxed and inclusive environment where everyone is welcome. The classes cater to the level of bakers in the room on the day, from beginners to experienced bakers. There is a mix of demonstration and hands-on learning, and plenty of time to ask questions and create connections.
The class starts at 10am and finishes around 3pm, including a break for lunch. Our aim is that you leave the class feeling refreshed and replete, moving into the lead up to Christmas with a sense of calm and accomplishment.
Class location
The class is held at Urbanstead in Abbotsford. Free street parking is available nearby.
We are well connected to public transport. We are a five minute walk from Collingwood station (Hurstbridge and Mernda Lines). The 12 and 109 trams run along Victoria Street, also a five minute walk. Multiple buses run along nearby Hoddle Street.
Class cancellations
Our classes are non-refundable and non-transferable unless we are able to fill your place from our waitlist.
In the unlikely event that we have to cancel a class we will offer a transfer to a new date or a full refund.
If you have any questions about this class please email us at hello@urbanstead.au.