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At North American Pizza & Culinary Academy in Lisle, Illinois, the goal is to get every guest as excited about cooking as its chefs. Dynamic professional chefs who are well-versed in all culinary styles lead hands-on and demonstrative classes.

The sessions are designed for people of all ages and abilities. Currently, there are only 20 pizza schools worldwide.

North American Pizza & Culinary Academy
A master chef explains the basics of creating a great pizza at North American Pizza & Culinary Academy in Lisle, Ill.
Credit: North American Pizza & Culinary Academy

“Cooking is never about strictly following recipes, it’s about techniques,” said Renee Gabbett, chef and director of culinary operations. “In our cooking classes, your group will learn valuable cooking skills in a fun, hands-on environment.”

North American Pizza & Culinary Academy is the only accredited pizza school in the United States with a certified dough room and an entire room dedicated to wood-fired cooking.

“Fun is the base of our teaching style, the heart of our operation,” Gabbett said. “We offer a small team of seasoned chefs who lead our culinary-focused demos and hands-on classes. Our pizza classes are led by either master instructor and member of the World Pizza Team, Leo Spizzirri (one of only two master instructors in North America) or a professional pizzaiolo certified through the Scuola Italiano Pizzaioli.” 

At the end of the cooking class, guests get to enjoy a generous tasting of a multicourse meal.

“The result of this experience is that your group will go away feeling very full as well as having improved their palette, possibly experienced a new cuisine or perfected a new skill,” Gabbett said.

The culinary academy can accommodate groups from 10 to 70 people, and experiences last about 2½ hours. A 10% discount is available for any group of more than 45 people.

For more information on North American Pizza & Culinary Academy call 630-395-9958 or go to pizzaculinaryacademy.com.

Article by Mira Temkin