There won’t be any workshops at the Made in Japan kitchen from July to December 2026. I hope to start them again sometime in 2027. For updates and news, please follow me on Instagram at @dumpling_mania.
Meanwhile, you can book a private workshop at your home to celebrate a birthday, graduation, engagement, or just because you love dumplings. If you have at least 8 adults and are located in one of the inner-city suburbs, let’s talk! Email me at makedumplings at gmail dot com, use the contact form on this site, or send me a direct message on Instagram at @dumpling_mania.
All of my hands-on workshops and masterclasses are beginner-friendly and run for 2.5 to 3.5 hours, depending on the dumplings we make. You only need basic kitchen skills like chopping and measuring. I’ll show you how to make classic Cantonese dumplings from yum cha, along with some creative twists. We use ingredients like shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, black fungus, Chinese sausage, oyster sauce, soy sauce, ground white pepper, and toasted sesame oil. Unfortunately, I can’t adjust the menu for gluten, wheat, garlic, ginger, or spring onion allergies. If you need allergy-friendly recipes, you can find great resources at thewoksoflife.com or on YouTube. Some of you have asked me about workshops for children or teens, but I am not set up to do this.
DUMPLINGS FOR BEGINNERS: In this 3-hour workshop, you’ll learn to make three types of dumplings, each cooked in a different way—boiled, steamed, or fried. We’ll start by prepping the fillings together: chopping, grating, measuring, and mixing. We use ready-made wrappers from Asian grocers or some Woolworths stores. I’ll show you how to fold and pleat different dumpling shapes. Then we pleat, cook, eat, and do it all again. After the workshop, I’ll send you detailed recipes and fact sheets about ingredients, equipment, and recommended stores.
LOTUS LEAF WORKSHOP: In this class, we’ll make a special meal wrapped in a lotus leaf. This parcel isn’t hard to make, but it does take a few steps, like washing and soaking the rice for 3 hours (I do that at the crack of dawn on the day of the workshop!) We’ll prepare the ingredients for “lo mai gai”: chicken, Chinese sausage (lop cheng), shiitake mushrooms, baby shrimp (har mai), and Chinese seasonings. While we cook these, we’ll steam the rice for 40 minutes and soak the lotus leaves in hot water for an hour. Each lotus leaf is filled with the cooked ingredients and rice, then wrapped up to make a parcel. The parcels are steamed until ready. Unwrap the lotus leaf to discover its earthy aroma and savoury flavours. These parcels will be your favourite comfort food that freeze well for future meals.
CRYSTAL DUMPLINGS MASTERCLASS: The translucent wrapper is the key to many yum cha favorites like Crystal Prawn dumplings (har gow) and Crystal Jade dumplings (pan-seared with Chinese chive ). Many people think the wrapper is made from rice, but it’s actually a mix of tapioca and wheat starch, which is what’s left after removing the gluten. Making this wrapper means adding boiling water to the flours at just the right speed and kneading it just enough. I’ll guide you through mastering this nerve-racking process and the pleating techniques. Since you can’t buy this dough ready-made, making it yourself is the only option. These two dumplings are highlights of the yum cha experience.
VEGETARIAN DUMPLING WORKSHOP: In this class, you’ll make two kinds of dumplings. First, you’ll prepare a wonton filled with Asian vegetables like bamboo shoots, wood ear mushrooms, carrots, corn, and more. The second is a potsticker, similar to Japanese gyoza, filled with tofu, mushrooms, garlic, and black pepper, then pan-fried until crisp. Both use ready-made wrappers from Asian grocers or some Woolworths stores. The vegetable fillings need plenty of chopping, are cooked, and then cooled before being wrapped.
DISCOVER YOUR INNER DUMPLING MAKER WITH ME: I’ve been teaching workshops for over 20 years, starting at the Centre for Adult Education in Flinders Lane. Since then, I’ve taught at the South Melbourne Market Cooking School, Gewürzhaus in Malvern, Relish Mama in Cheltenham, Trupp Cooking School in Prahran, and given demonstrations at Melbourne’s Immigration Museum.