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The Learning Kitchen

Come to Learning Kitchen at Chocolates and Tomatoes Farm to expand your cooking and candy skills!

Hello Everyone, 

Feel free to reach out with questions at CandTFarmInfo@gmail.com.



REGISTER HERE FOR COOKING CLASSES!


Or purchase a gift certificate


TASTE WHAT WE GROW ON THE FARM and LEARN HOW TO COOK IT (or expand your recipes and have fun doing it)! Discover your inner chef!


  • Sometimes we also have Chef's Inspiration Tasting Dinner where we serve small plates or "tastes" of a variety of sweet and savory dishes -- Whatever Chef Mark is thinking about at the moment


The Learning Kitchen at Chocolates and Tomatoes Farm launched on January 28, 2023. The Learning Kitchen is a dream come true for Chef Mark. He loves to share with others his passion for food, creativity and artistry, and to help others discover their inner creative chef. Register Here

  • Chef Mark has a pastry arts degree from L'Academie de Cuisine, and has been cooking professionally for 35+ years.

  • He has been making and selling his handcrafted chocolates since 2013.

  • He routinely teaches adults as an instructor in the Frederick Community College Hospitality, Culinary, & Tourism program (since 2019). His classes include Advanced Bread Baking, Advanced Artistry, and Garde Manger (includes things like pickling, sausage-making, etc.).


The Learning Kitchen is a space for adults to find their inner chef (teens and tweens may participate with adult partners), learn about confectionary creation (sugar and chocolate), and expand their tastes for fresh, locally seasonal vegetables. Most classes are for beginners who have never tried to make (and perhaps have never tasted) the featured item. Some classes will be for people who have been experimenting on their own and want to advance their skills.

  • Most classes are Hands-On where you participate in making the featured item

    • You can generally expect 6-9 people for hands-on classes.

    • You will get to take home with you featured recipes and a portion of the items made in the class; sometimes these are your own, personal creations.

  • Some classes are Demonstration and Tastings, or Tastings Only

    • You can generally expect these to be larger than the hands-on classes.

  • During all the classes, we have free hot coffee and tea, and cold water for participants to drink while there. And, you will get to taste whatever is being made. You are welcome to bring your own non-alcoholic beverages to drink.


Class types

  • Chocolates: Snap and shine (tempering), melt-aways, rolled truffles, coloring and filling truffles; the rolled truffles class is a favorite for private groups who want more socializing and less teaching

  • Inspired by: These classes focus on helping participants learn about flavors, ingredients, and iconic dishes from regions and cultures around the world. In 2025, we were inspired by Vietnam, Thailand, the U.S. South, and Creole, especially as found around Louisiana.

  • Confections: caramels and gummies

  • Veggies: offerings are seasonal depending on what is reading for harvesting on the farm. In 2025, we added a "Seasonal Market Basket Surprise" class where each class featured 4-5 fruits, vegetables, and herbs being harvested fresh from the field at the time class was held. We made hot and cold dishes includes soups, salads, slaws, and mains.

  • Desserts: Eclairs, Mousse Cakes (entremets), and some that are seasonal such as "Desserts of Mardi Gras" and Yule Logs

  • Doughs and Pastas (sweet and savory): Pretzels, pizza from scratch, pasta from scratch, hand pies, gnocchi, dumplings

  • "For Life": classes provide low sugar, low salt, and high flavor options for eating more healthfully

  • Gluten-free, vegan, or other specialty diets: Some of our regular offerings can be tailored for a gluten-free and/or vegan or other specialty diet private class. Our "Market Basket" classes are often naturally vegetarian or vegan and gluten free.

  • Gingerbread Cookie Socials: we offered for the first time in 2025 and they were a smash hit with 53 people attending, all in December! We provided the baked, cut-out gingerbread cookies, cookie paint, and a relaxed environment for memory-making.

  • Decorating: We sometimes offer classes in partnership with Chef Missy for special royal icing decorating

  • Tastings: We sometimes offer "tastings" sessions for vegetable we grow that have lots of variety, such as tomatoes where you learn how to appreciate the uniqueness of each.

  • Chef's Inspiration: Where Chef Mark shares his cooking talent through inspired dishes for you to enjoy


Private Classes for Team-Building and Celebrations

You can also contact Chef Mark if you would like to have a private, adults-only cooking class or gathering in The Learning Kitchen OR a family gathering with folks of all ages.

  • Pricing will be determined based on the length of time, prices of ingredients, and number of people expected. We require a $270 minimum for 1.5-2 hours, more for additional time.

  • Number of people is based on the activities requested, but 6-7 is generally the minimum and 12-20 is generally our maximum. [You can have a private session with fewer people as long as you meet the minimum fee.]

  • Contact us to talk about your cooking interests and gathering goals. We will work with you to figure out if we have what you are looking for, and if so to find a date and time that works.

  • NOTE: We do NOT specialize in children's birthday parties. If your teen or tween wants to celebrate by having a few friends and supportive adults take a class with them, we are happy to talk about options. We are not a full-service party destination.

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