§ About us

A family kitchen, on the Fleurieu

Fleurieu Food and Wine is a mobile Adelaide cooking school based on the Fleurieu Peninsula, owned and run by Jackie and John Mazzocato with a team of eight passionate foodies. Hands-on classes, real venues, and the wine glasses that go with the food.

§ Who we are

A South Australian cooking school, running classes on the Fleurieu Peninsula and Adelaide.

Jackie has been cooking since before she before she could walk and trained as an adult educator before turning her kitchen into a school. John has more than forty years in the wine industry and pairs the wine on class days. Together they lead a team of eight, with two named guest chefs for specialist masterclasses. We work from venue partners across the Fleurieu Peninsula and inner Adelaide. We do not have a permanent kitchen of our own. The venue is part of the day.

§ The team

Our team of eight

Jackie and John are supported by eight passionate foodies. Co-presenters, guest chefs and operations people who make every class day run. Every presenter is internally trained and certified. Larger classes run with a one-to-eight ratio of presenters and chefs to participants.

Jackie, John and eight passionate foodies

Jackie Mazzocato

Owner and Presenter

Jackie has been cooking since before she could walk. She trained as an adult educator before turning her kitchen into a school, and that adult-learning background shapes every class. Warm, paced, generous with explanations, never rushed.

John Mazzocato

Owner and Operations

More than forty years in the wine industry. John runs our operations and selections our wines, he is great to talk to about the producers behind the bottles, and is the person to ask if you want to know what to drink with what.

Stephen Edwards

Guest chef

Stephen leads our specialist masterclasses, bringing technical depth to our steak classes. Stephen spent 22 plus years travelling the world with Australian Meat and Livestock training chefs and butchers on Australian meats.

Paul Suleyman

Guest chef · master butcher

Paul is one of South Australia’s most respected master butchers, with decades behind the block and a deep working knowledge of traditional butchery.

A South Australian tourism leader

Accreditations and awards held by Fleurieu Food and Wine. Quality Tourism Accredited businesses meet rigorous national standards across safety, service, and sustainability.

2025 South Australian Tourism Awards Gold Winner

SA Tourism Awards

2025 Gold Winner

Australian Tourism Awards

2025 Highly Commended

Quality Tourism Accredited

Current

TICSA Sustainable Tourism

Accredited

Small Business Champion

2026 Finalist

§ How we run a class

Warm, generous and practical

No hierarchy at the bench. The recipes are written so guests can recreate them at home that week, not three weekends away. We pace the class so the slowest hands get the full experience and the quickest hands still feel stretched. We taste as we go.

§ What we do

A Fleurieu Peninsula and Adelaide cooking school, a food tour, and a cookbook publisher

§ The differentiator

A full day out, not just a class

Take a class at one of our venue partners. Wine paired by John. A long lunch you cooked yourselves. Then a walk, a brewery, or a beach on the way home. Most guests stay overnight on the Peninsula and turn the class into a weekend.

The people we work alongside, awards and certifications

About Fleurieu Food and Wine

Is Fleurieu Food and Wine a cooking school near Adelaide?

Yes. We are a mobile Adelaide cooking school based on the Fleurieu Peninsula. Most venues are 60 to 90 minutes drive from the Adelaide CBD, ideal for a foodie day trip or weekend away. Our newest venue, Jackson Square, is in inner Adelaide and 5 minutes from the CBD.

Who will be teaching and hosting my class?

Jackie or one of our trained presenters leads the class. John or a wine specialist hosts the wine side where applicable. For some classes we work with guest chefs Stephen Edwards and Paul Suleyman, who share their expertise while we keep the experience relaxed and fun. Every presenter has completed our internal training and certification.

Will Jackie or John be at my class?

Jackie and John would love to attend every class, but as the school has grown that is not always possible. Our trained presenters and guest chefs run classes to the same brief Jackie wrote, with the same recipes and the same care for guests. Ask when you book if you would like to know who will be teaching your specific date.

What types of experiences do you offer?

Hands-on cooking classes, seasonal food and wine events, private and corporate experiences, and a growing collection of cookbooks. Many guests build a full Fleurieu Peninsula itinerary around a class. See our class calendar and Plan Your Day.

Can we buy your cookbooks if we cannot attend a class?

Yes. Our cookbooks ship within Australia and are available through our online shop. Guests at classes can often purchase signed copies on the day.

Is this a good experience for visitors to South Australia?

Yes. Many guests travel from interstate or overseas. The experience combines cooking, wine, local stories and coastal scenery in one day, often as the highlight of a South Australian trip.

About the team

Who is on the Fleurieu Food and Wine team?

Jackie teaches. John hosts and pairs the wine. Together they lead a team of eight passionate foodies, with co-presenters who keep the bench moving, guest chefs for specialist masterclasses, and front-of-house people who make sure every guest feels looked after.

How do you train your presenters?

Every presenter completes our internal training programme and is certified before they teach. We run regular skills sessions and a one-to-eight presenter-to-participant ratio in larger classes so guests always have a trained hand close by.

Why are individual guest chefs not named on every class?

The team rotates by date and class. We confirm who is teaching a specific class on request rather than promising a roster that might change. Our two named guest chefs, Stephen Edwards and Paul Suleyman, feature in their own specialist classes which are flagged on the calendar.

How long has Jackie been teaching?

Decades of home cooking. The cooking school in its current shape started with the first class in November 2024. By the end of 2025 we had welcomed more than 1,200 guests across hundreds of experiences.

Where are you based?

Normanville on the Fleurieu Peninsula. Our mobile model means we teach at our venue partners across the Peninsula and at Jackson Square in inner Adelaide.

§ Come cook with us

The best way to meet us is at the bench

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