When the Silo Cooking School first opened it was the only recreational cooking school in Connecticut. In a picturesque barn and nestled in the Litchfield Hills, it was truly a gourmet getaway. But it didn’t take long for this ‘hidden gem’ to develop a devoted clientele of both amateur and budding professional chefs.

Coming on the heels of a successful string of restaurants owned and operated by the Hendersons, the Silo Cooking School has had guest instructors that ranged from local chefs and product representatives to Jacques Pepin, Giuliano Bugialli, Martha Stewart, and more!

Today, the cooking school continues to offer the same quality recreational classes for all skill levels and of endless variety. World-class instructors – Rachel Ray, Betty Rosbottom, Arthur Schwartz, Helen Chen and Rick Rodgers, to name but a few - still enjoy the intimacy of the school and the beautiful farm. We’re sure you will, too!

Receive A Special Gift

Attend a cooking class and receive your choice of one of Ruth and Skitch Henderson’s beautiful cookbooks! 

Custom Classes are available for any occasion! Click here to learn more.

Check out our current class schedule by clicking on the month to the left, or by scrolling below. You may also call to check availability and enroll at (860) 355-0300.

An Elegant Country Gentleman’s Supper w/ Chef Denis Fabrice and owner John Harris of The White Horse in Marbledale, CT
The English country comes to Silo Country with stories and traditional fare featuring Smoked Trout-Red Beet au Crouton w/ Dill Sauce;
Wild Mushroom Soup
Toad in the Hole
Sussex Steak & Mushroom Pie
Rhubarb Crumble w/ Alfriston Custard Sauce
(Demonstration)
$80 or 2 for $150

Our own Cooking School Director Chef Mary Kravec continues her Teens Classes with this Awesome Easter Buffet.
Teens will prepare Bake Ham w/ Honey Apricot Glaze & Peach Chutney; Asparagus, Peas and Basil; The Best Scalloped Potatoes, Apple Glazed Carrots, Hot Cross Buns and Lemon Meringue Cheesecakes
(full participation) Ages 13-17 $60

Chef Christopher Prosperi

of Metro Bis returns and shares Great One Pot Meals including:

Morrocan Tagine with Curried Chicken
Slow Cooked Corned Beef and Cabbage
Cauliflower &Sweet Potatoes
Tuscan Chicken and Fennel
Soy Braised Pork Belly and Carrots
Black Bean Chili with Butternut Squash and more
(partial participation)
$80pp or 2 for $150

“

An Introduction to Fondant with award-winning cake decorator and owner of Cake Suite Bakery in Westport, CT, Michelle Klem.
Learn a variety of techniques using fondant, buttercream and gum paste. Cover a cake, use tools of the trade and create spring-inspired accents such as 3D gumpaste daisies and more.
Each student will decorate their own cake and take their decorating skills to a new level.
(full participation) $80 or 2 for $150

Betty Rosbottom

Cookbook author, radio & tv personality and major magazine contributor, was inspired by a recent trip to Venice.
A menu perfect for Easter!
Creamy Sweet Pea Soup w/ Chives and Ciabatta Croutons, Lelia’s Venetian Chicken & Wild Mushrooms, Prosciutto & Fontina; Risotto w/ Roasted Butternut Squash, Sage and Parmigiano; Roasted Asparagus, Individual Tiramisus
(Demonstration) $85 or 2 for $160

Young Chef’s Easter Baking Workshop w/ Nancy Stuart-Ploch
This hands-on workshop will cover baking skills for delicious Spring-inspired muffins, scones, biscuits and of course Bunny Bread!
(full participation) $50 ages 5-11

EASTER FAMILY FUN AT THE SILO: 
Enjoy an All-Natural Easter Egg Decorating Workshop
Learn techniques of decorating and dyeing Easter eggs using all-natural dyes with Gallery Director Valerie Culbertson.
(soup included)
*** Easter Egg Hunt in the Barnyard (weather permitting).
Meet a live! Easter Bunny!
$10 per person

Chef Chris Eddy

of Morris, CT’s renown Winvian Resort.

Class begins with a brief lecture on sauces and stocks. Then Chef Eddy, a classically trained master saucier, will guide students who will work in small teams in making variations of béchamel, hollandaise, veloute, and espagnole sauces. Sauces will be tasted with various accompaniments. Take your cooking skills to the next level!
(full participation) 
Class size is limited.
$85 or 2 for $160

Arthur Schwartz

Cookbook author, radio personality and food maven Arthur Schwartz returns to the Silo with his humorous educational anecdotes and a menu inspired by Spring and his beloved cuisine of Southern Italy.
Menu:
Fritatta con Asparagi
Artichokes alla Romana, braised with garlic and mint
Amalfi Risotto al Limone;
Veal Stew with Mushrooms and Peas
Pastiera (grain and ricotta pie from Naples).
Mangia!

(demonstration) $90

We Filled the Evening Class! Join Us for This Class!

Chef Daniel Rosati

celebrates Julia Child & Mastering the Art of French Cooking with a French Menu of:
Pissaladiere, Braised Artichokes with Hollandaise, Chicken a la Diable, Spring Butter Lettuce and Sugar Snap Pea Salad, Potato Gratin Morvandelle (w/ Gruyere and Ham) , Crepes Suzette.
Bon Appetit!
(full participation) $85pp or 2 for $160  

Classic French Pastries and Desserts with

Chef Daniel Rosati

In this class we will work with sweet and savory variations on Pate a Choux (stuffed cocktail puffs, gougere, cream puffs, profiteroles, éclairs); Mille-Fueille (napoleons), Mousse au Chocolate, Tarte au Citron and French Macaroons.
(full participation) $85 or 2 for $160

You don’t need to travel to Vermont to experience the famous King Arthur Baking Education Center. It’s right here at the Silo! Classes will be taught by Jessica Myers
Chef Meyers has a culinary arts background and has worked at King Arthur Flour since 2001 as a Baking Education Center instructor and assistant, an instructor for King Arthur’s Traveling Baking Demos, and on the Bakers’ Hotline.
“I feel that everyone has the potential to be a great baker and feel very fortunate to be a vital part of the learning process. As an instructor I see to it that the joy of baking lives on, and that makes me very proud.” 

Regional Flatbreads of Italy Workshop

Move beyond the familiar focaccia to experiment with some of the unique regional breads of Italy. We’ll use the classic Italian 00 flour to make the cracker-like Schiaciatti with rosemary and olive oil from Tuscany and a biga (an Italian pre-ferment) to mix the Sicilian Scfinciuni. We’ll finish the class making Crespelle al Formaggio together.

(full participation) $85 or 2 for $160

Bagel and Bialys Workshop

Learn how easy it is to bake your own bagels, with more chew and flavor than store-bought! The class will learn how different ingredients affect the final product, as well as a variety of shaping techniques. We’ll compare different methods of shaping and baking both bialys and bagels. You’ll go home with a batch of bagels and bialys and the know-how to bake your own better-than-bought!

(full participation) $85 or 2 for $160

Seafood alla Siciliana: Recipes and Stories from a Living Tradition with author

Toni Lydecker

Travel with Toni to the shores of Sicily and learn about the history, people and of course, the food of this relatively unknown but fascinating cuisine.
Menu includes:
Tuna Carpaccio, Shrimp Fritters, Baked Mussels, Baby Squid and Octopus Salad, Spicy Linguine with Anchovies,  Pistachio-Crusted Swordfish with Escarole Filling OR Roasted Red Mullet with Cherry Tomatoes, Capers & Olives (depending on market)
(demonstration) $85 or 2 for $160

“Italy a la Griglia!” with Chef William Cosgrove of the Upper Crust Trattoria in New Milford, CT.

Join local favorite chef instructor Bill at the Silo BBQ shack grilling his Italian favorites:
Grilled Vegetable Insalata
Grilled Pizza with Artisanal Salume and Truffle Oil
Basil and Mint Lamb Spiedini with Warmed Fingerling Potato Salad
and Polenta Dolce
(full participation) $85pp or 2 for $160

Chef Jerry Reveronof the Woodward House in Bethlehem, CT

The knife is the most important kitchen tool. In this class, we’ll learn practical knife skills that will enhance your day to day cooking and culinary confidence: proper holding and sharpening technique and practice of a variety of cuts (mince, julienne, chiffonade, turning, bias, baton). We will also learn some basic butchering when deboning a whole chicken, and we’ll make an international light lunch using our new skills.

Three Onion Soup, Vietnamese Summer Rolls with Spicy Peanut Sauce,  Warm Salad w/ Chicken Paillards over arugula with citrus supremes, asparagus and goat cheese with a Shallot-Dijon Vinaigrette, Provencal Braised Chicken Thighs w/ Fluted Mushrooms, Turned Root Vegetables and Herbes. 

(full participation) $85 or 2 for $160

Celebrity chef/cookbook author/food expert celebrity chef/cookbook author/food expert

Rick Rodgers

returns w/ his annual BBQ Bash
Rick Rodgers returns w/ another spectacular bbq menu featuring recipes from his upcoming book, “Spring Gatherings”. 
Don’t miss this popular class!

Grilled Asparagus with Green Goddess Dip
Spiced and Smoked Beef Brisket with Chipotle BBQ Sauce
Fully Loaded Potato Salad with Bacon and Cheese
Marinated Seven-Vegetable Slaw
Root Beer Baked Beans
Strawberry-Rhubarb Cobbler
$85 or 2 for $160

Suvir Saran is chef, consultant, and the author of the critically acclaimed cookbooks American Masala: 125 New Classics From My Home Kitchen and Indian Home Cooking. 
He has appeared on many TV shows: Martha Stewart, Iron Chef, Next Iron Chef, Today Show, Discovery Channel and others.
Suvir established new standards for Indian food in America as owner/executive chef of Dévi restaurant in New York City, the only Indian restaurant in the U.S. to have ever earned a Michelin star. He serves as chairman of Asian culinary studies for The Culinary Institute of America’s World Cuisines Council and teaches all over the U.S. and beyond. When he is not traveling, he works on his 68-acre farm in upstate New York.

Chef Suvir presents a unique menu inspired by both of his best-selling cookbooks: American Masala and Indian Home Cooking.
Pineapple Rasam with Tamarind; Shrimp Balchao Bruschetta, Day After Chicken Hash Masala, Grandma’s Cornbread, Ground Beef with Spinach and Fresh Mint (Hara Keema); Lemon Rice, Mixed Fruit Cobbler with Vanilla Ice Cream
(demonstration) $85pp or 2 for $160

Don’t miss this opportunity to cook with Chef Suvir Saran in the comfortable intimate space of the Silo kitchen! 

Anne’s Cheese Toasts, Tamarind Chutney, Dhaansak (Spicy Squash, Eggplant and Bean Stew);  Murgh Kaju (Coconut Chicken with Cashews); Stir Fried Carrots with Cumin and Fenugreek; Chilled Smoked Eggplant with Yogurt and Cilantro; Stir-Fried Mushrooms with Onions and Tomatoes; Tahiree (Rice Pilaf with Peas, Potatoes and Whole Garam Masala), Grape Raita.
(full participation) $85pp or 2 for $160

July 5 - July 9, 9am-1pm.

Our own Chef Nancy covers back-to-basics cooking skills and creative projects for your little camper in a lovely farm setting.  Don’t miss out on the fun!

Ages 5-10.  $225 per young chef

Chef Rea Varveris

Be swept up in Chef Rea’s enthusiasm for her native food and culture.
Class begins with grilled Halloumi, pita and a celebratory shot of ouzo followed by Tzatziki, Taramosalata (caviar dip), Cypriot Salad, Spanakotyropita (Spinach Cheese Pie), Eliopita (Quick Olive Bread), Dolmadhes (Meat -Stuffed Grape Leaves), Yeeros, Garithes sti shara (shrimp kebobs), Baklava and Lokmadhes.

We will finish w/ Turkish coffee and maybe even some fortune reading.  Belly-dancers welcome! 
(full participation) $85 or 2 for $160