Cooking classes in Toronto can be both instructional and recreational, offering a chance to sharpen what ought to be an every day skill and socialize at the same time. While there are plenty of cooking classes to be found throughout the GTA, sometimes you just want to spice it up (please excuse the pun.

Here are my picks for the top new cooking classes in Toronto.

Dish Cooking Studio
This recreational cooking studio has been around for years, but has newly opened a space in Little Italy that offers the opportunity to cook, eat and shop all in one place. Three-hour classes are often marketed as date-worthy and take 12 to 24 participants at a time through menus based on themes like the Spanish Snack Bar, Everyday Italian, or Christmas in the South.

The Edible Story
Interactive classes hosted by this cooking studio on Richmond Street East take students through the process of whipping up a whole meal, from appetizer and main course, to side dish and dessert. Classes are capped at 10 to maintain intimacy, and guests are greeted on arrival with an amuse bouche, provided with a take-home recipe booklet and set up at a fully equipped work station.

Pitchfork Company
This cooking school on Gerrard Street East offers multi-week courses and one-off workshops for kids, teens, and adults. Youth will find classes on cooking fundamentals, reimagining junk food, and pastry making, while adults can take part in hands-on workshops led by experts on subjects like pasta-making, vegan appetizers, and dumplings.

The Spice Lab
Learn to cook Indian or Thai via private instruction and intimate group sessions (up to five people at a time) held at a Liberty Village studio or in your own home. Each class aims to arm home cooks with all the fundamentals and cover four or five dishes per class. Recent menus have covered vegetable and meat curries, as well as tea-time delicacies.

Foodies on Foot
This company has been around since 2012 but only launched its Prep School cooking classes this past year. The upcoming course calendar features a class devoted to the art of pizza and pasta dough, plus a chili-centric menu that'll get home cooks in shape for Super Bowl Sunday.

What did I miss? Add your favourite new cooking class in the comments.

Photo via the Edible Story's Facebook Page