How long is the workshop?

The class runs roughly two to four hours depending on the session and number of participants; expect hands-on time plus discussion.

Is the class suitable for beginners?

Yes. Instruction covers basic preserving techniques and safety, making it accessible to cooks new to pickling and jam-making.

Do I need to bring equipment?

No — the experience is all-inclusive. Bring a reusable container for leftovers and wear enclosed shoes.

Are children allowed?

Minimum age is 12; participants under 15 must be accompanied by an adult.

Can recipes change during class?

Yes. Organisers may adapt recipes and ingredients based on seasonal availability, demonstrating flexible preserving approaches.

Is the location accessible?

Yes. The Sydney Fish Market meeting point and workshop area are wheelchair accessible; contact organisers with specific needs.

Preserving the Season with Cornersmith's Alex Elliott-Howery at Sydney Fish Market

At the docks of the Sydney Fish Market in Glebe, a different kind of tide arrives each season: jars, vinegar and the sharp citrus tang of preserved fruit. ARTISAN Preserving the Season: Cornersmith's Alex Elliott-Howery brings a hands-on food-preservation workshop to one of Sydney’s most practical culinary classrooms, teaching home cooks how to turn surplus produce into chutney, pickles and jam while cutting kitchen waste.

The class runs from the market meeting point and takes place at shared stainless-steel benches, where small groups work through recipes designed for seasonal bounty. Participants make and take home at least three preserves — a chutney, a pickle and a jam — using vegetables and fruits selected for peak flavor. The setup is intentionally practical: enclosed shoes are required, under-15s must be accompanied, and wheelchair access is available, so the experience is approachable for many visitors.

What sets this workshop apart is the local context. You are steps from live seafood stalls and cool storage rooms where the day’s catch arrives, and the market’s proximity to fresh produce vendors means ingredients are both abundant and varied. Alex Elliott-Howery brings knowledge from Cornersmith’s no-waste philosophy, translating commercial preserving techniques into methods you can reproduce in a home kitchen with modest equipment and smart storage.

Expect hands-on instruction, practical tips for reducing single-use plastics and clear explanations about acidification, fermentation and sugar balance. Classes are run at benches of three to six people each, which keeps the pace personal and allows time for questions. If recipes or ingredients shift because of seasonal availability, organisers adapt recipes on the spot — another lesson in flexible, sustainable cooking.

Why book this class on a trip to Sydney? It’s an experiential way to connect with local foodways that complements a seafood market visit: you’ll leave with tangible skills, finished jars to show friends and a clearer approach to minimizing waste at home. It’s also a compact cultural exchange — a market classroom where fishermen, grocers and preservers briefly share the same practical stage.

Plan to bring a container for leftovers, a pen to capture recipes and an appetite for hands-on learning. Whether you’re a beginner eager to learn safe preserving or a cook sharpening seasonal strategies, this workshop turns the raw material of a city market into shelf-stable memories.

Sessions typically welcome small groups with a minimum age of 12, and the workshop format emphasizes safety and technique — heating, sterilising jars and proper acid ratios — so your preserves are shelf-stable and safe to share. Because recipes adapt to seasonal availability, repeat visits offer different lessons. Locals treat this as both a cooking class and a market primer: after class participants stroll nearby stalls to apply new palate to buy ingredients for jars.