Chef John Cirillo, formerly of the Hilton Toronto, has opened a cooking school and event space on Dundas Street West. Cirillo's Culinary Academy, in the former home of Kirkby Hardware, is a 4,000-square-foot facility equipped with six cooking stations, a chef's station, a lounge area, a private dining room, and a retail space.

"It's the type of kitchen everyone would envy," he said of the space, designed by Glen Peloso of Restaurant Makeover and Take This House and Sell It. Peloso converted the former hardware store into a teaching facility equipped with residential-grade stainless steel appliances, marble countertops, and porcelain floors. "The goal was to create a space where people would feel like they were in one big home kitchen," Cirillo said.

Cirillo and his wife, Margit, opened the space in January. The couple has since scaled back the number of cooking classes on site. "Originally we thought we were going to be doing more of the cooking classes, but when we opened our doors we realized there was an opportunity for more private events," he said. Classes are still held on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays.

Groups can book the academy for a dinner function or a teambuilding activity. The venue can accommodate up to 40 for a hands-on cooking demonstration and up to 60 for receptions. A private dining room holds 28. Menus are customized for each event.