Gastown's Just Giulia offers three-hour pasta class with Prosecco and Aperol Spritzes

Just Giulia Cooking Classes has opened in Gastown with a three-hour hands-on experience built around fresh pasta, Italian technique, and cocktails. Chef Giulia Lombardo, classically trained and based in Rome for years, now teaches from Conscious Lab at 422 Richards Street.

Each class starts with a welcome glass of Prosecco, followed by an Aperol Spritz demonstration (so you can sip while you work), then a cacio e pepe technique walk-through before rolling and cutting your own fresh tagliatelle by hand. The night ends with a sit-down dinner where you eat what you made. Cost is $135 per person. Public classes run once a month on weekend evenings, capped at roughly 30 guests. Dates drop about a month in advance on Giulia's Instagram.

Next classes: October 17 and Friday, October 30, both at 7 p.m. Private group classes for 10 to 30 people are also available—email inquiries to book a team event or holiday party.

Giulia cut her teeth teaching in Rome and initially ran classes from her dad's restaurant, Marcello Ristorante and Pizzeria, before moving to her own space. The whole thing feels designed for people who actually care about the food and the company, not just the Instagram moment—though the Aperol Spritzes and Gastown location don't hurt.