If you want to start preparing raw food for yourself, there's nothing like a raw food class to get you inspired. And in Melbourne, you're spoiled for choice!
Regular Raw Food Classes
Raw Ambition
East Geelong
Eileen is passionate about bringing raw food to the world, and runs a bunch of raw food classes from "Garden House" in East Geelong.
I love Eileen's fun approach to raw food, and I love that she does classes in schools introducing kids to fresh food. She also does catering.
Her classes cover desserts, seasonal foods, and getting started with raw food, and her offerings evolve with the seasons.
She lists upcoming classes on her website.
Raw Living Foods
South Yarra
Ace is a raw gourmet chef and teacher, and offers three levels of raw food classes, that teach you the basics of preparing and eating a raw food diet.
I love her skill in creating the most amazing raw cakes, and she also makes them to order for any special occasion.
She also offers classes on raw desserts, plus a 3-day pastry arts intensive where you learn how to make her stunning raw food cakes.
She lists upcoming classes on her website.
Raw Satya
Windsor
Rosemary runs regular workshops that provide information on how to equip a raw vegan kitchen, making raw food easy, how to change your buying habits, the raw food detox programs, how raw food revitalizes and rejuvenates, the benefits of raw food in anti-aging, raw food recipes, having fun with raw food and healthy living.
She also offers raw food workshops for kids, where they get to learn about the benefits of healthy food and get hands-on making their own raw dishes.
She lists upcoming classes on her website.
Shoku Iku
Northcote
Inspired by the birth of her daughter, Yoko studied nutrition and alternative medicine extensively, and combines it with a deep understanding of the importance of emotional healing to create optimal health.
Not only does Yoko run an amazing raw vegan cafe in Northcote, but she also offers a range of educational resources, including a raw food workshop, where you get to take your raw food knowledge even further.
You can find upcoming classes on the Shoku Iku website.
Rawkiflow
Blackwood
Renée is a plant-based chef, shamanic healer and yoga teacher who runs plant-based and raw vegan classes from her forest home in Blackwood, an hour's drive north-west of Melbourne.
Renée's focus with her classes is on using food as medicine, the concepts of spiritual nutrition, and making plant-based and high-vibrational food part of an everyday lifestyle.
Her workshops with provide you with an elaborate collection of recipes, information and lots of inspiration.
She lists upcoming classes on her website.
Vegie Head
Croydon
Adele takes a relaxed and inclusive approach to a plant-based diet, with the aim of empowering people.
She also created a video "Shit Raw Vegans Say" that went viral in 2012.
Her aim is to change the way you see plant based food forever, and her classes sound like a lot of fun!
She lists upcoming classes on her website.
Occasional Raw Food Classes
Organic Empire
Mt Evelyn
If you're up in the hills for the day, what better way to spend it than doing a raw food class at Organic Empire?
They run a farm store packed to the rafters with whole, fresh organic produce and gourmet foods, and they are obsessed with good food.
They also run a food school, where they teach occasional classes on how to create optimal health through food.
You can find upcoming classes on the Organic Empire website.
Rawventure
South Yarra
Rawventure is a catering company in South Melbourne, Victoria, run by Ashley Brown and Aimee Hastie.
Their focus is on creating food that transforms health, creates balance and enhances our lives.
They occasionally run demonstration classes, and you can find out more about them and their upcoming classes via their Facebook page.
Trupp Cooking School
South Yarra
Started by Walter and Dorota, the Trupp Cooking School offers a wide range of cooking classes, suited to all tastes and abilities.
One of their many classes is "Balance Your Body Effortless with Living Raw Foods", where you will learn how to make all types of dinners and superfood snacks.
You can find upcoming classes on the Trupp Cooking School website.
Past Raw Food Classes
Ally's Raw Passion
Doncaster
Ally is passionate about healthy food and all things that make you well - Body, Mind and Soul.
She's offered raw food classes in the past, covering raw food basics and desserts, and has been on hiatus, but it might be worth an ask anyway.
She lists classes on her website.
Kemi Nekpavil
South Yarra
Kemi has an infectious enthusiasm for life that infuses all of her classes with fun and joy, and I highly recommend exploring raw food with her if you get the chance. I love her flexible approach to raw food of "add more raw and feel the difference".
Kemi's taken a slightly new direction these days, focusing more on empowering women, but you can still read more about her on her website.
If you know of other Melbourne raw food workshops or classes that you think should be on this list, or you want to suggest a correction, please drop me a line.