Evelyn's Midtown Kitchen feature in The Detroit News
12/2/25 Melody Baetens The Detroit News
"An investment in knowledge pays the best interest” is a quote attributed to founding father Benjamin Franklin, and when that knowledge makes you better in the kitchen, it couldn’t be more true.
Taking a cooking class is not only a way to gain a skill, but it can also guide you outside your comfort zone. Metro Detroit has many ongoing workshops and one-off events that teach the basics on cooking pasta, rolling sushi, tasting wine or making cocktails.
“People learn specific cooking techniques and they have a fun, joyful and memorable experience,” said chef Evelyn Stokes, a trained culinary professional who runs Evelyn’s Midtown Kitchen out of Eastern Market. She says her classes are suitable for all experience levels, and it gives the home cook a chance to learn some of the techniques used by professionals.
“Learning how to cook for oneself, learning how to incorporate flavor, learning techniques from different international cuisines, it breeds confidence,” she said. “A lot of people come into the class and they’re not sure how to chop, or incorporate flavor and we give that confidence, we give them that knowledge.”
Stokes, who has several degrees including culinary arts and is also a public speaker, says that most of the people who take her classes are friends, relatives or couples, but solo students are always welcome.
“People like to bring a family member or a loved one,” she said, but everyone gets into the mix. “It’s very interactive and by the end of an hour and a half, two hours, they’re laughing it up and becoming best friends.”
Whether your New Year’s resolution is to learn a new skill, make an effort to get out and meet people or get serious about eating healthy, we’ve rounded up some early 2025 events to help you jump start your goals.
FULL ARTICLE
Culinary professional Evelyn Stokes leads an evening of hands-on cooking that will instruct students how to make lobster ravioli with Cognac cream sauce, a citrus and fennel salad, crostini with whipped ricotta, walnuts and salted honey and also how to make pasta dough from scratch. Sign up with a partner for a romantic date or take the class solo so you can learn to cook your loved one an impressive dinner.
6-8:30 p.m. Jan. 24. $99 per person, $193 per couple.
Eastern Market Shed 5, 2934 Russell, Detroit.
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