The Summer 2008 class schedule features two hundred brand-new cooking classes. View the list and sign up.

Summer means endless grilling, so Terry Black of Super Smokers and Kirk Warner of Kirk’s Traveling Kitchen will each lead a Day in the Kitchen on Grilling. These special classes are limited to six lucky people. Terry does ribs, ribs, and more ribs from start to finish on July 26. Kirk covers brisket, pulled pork, and hot-smoked fish on August 10.

Another highlight is Lou Rook and Glenn Bardgett of Annie Gunn’s preparing the most expensive grades and cuts of beef on August 16. Here’s your chance to sample and compare the finest beef.

The chefs teaching at Kitchen Conservatory for the first time are Naam Pruitt (a native of Thailand and a Thai cookbook author) on June 26, Alan McClure (a maker of fine chocolates from bean to bar) on June 29, Nicola Wissler (a very creative cake decorator) on July 20, Matt Dawson of Peppertini’s on July 21, Eric Kelly of ~Scape on July 24, Christy Augustin (the new pastry chef from Sidney Street Cafe) on July 28, and Hiroshi Seki (chef-owner of Seki’s, a Japanese restaurant in the Delmar Loop) on August 12.

Date Night for Couples continues to be hugely popular, so we have added several new themes: Wok on the Wild Side on July 25, Paris Nights on August 2, The Grill from Ipanema on August 23, plus others. Yes, we have added more sessions of the classic favorites: Tuscany for Two and Margarita Madness. Some customers have repeated those classes just because the food tastes so delicious.

Of course, we’ll do pies (blackberry, peach, blueberry, and lemon) on June 24. Some customers have been known to repeat the pie class just to eat pie! And mark your calendar so you do not miss our annual canning class on August 3: Wham, Jam, Thank You Ma’am.

Best class title? “Pick a Cod, Any Cod” or “Bastille My Heart.”

Register now.