From Glass Blowing To Espresso Making: Meet Melbourne’s Masters
Eloise Luke
Contributor | Urban List
Melbourne is filled with experts who know their stuff. They’re creatives, enthusiasts and artists who’ve honed supreme skills over time and are now keen to share their secrets, having a blast along the way.
We’ve tracked down some of the most inspirational, impressive masters of their craft, sharing their tremendous talents to let you in the know.
Know what you need? Skip to:
- Coffee
- Glass blowing
- Make-up
- Pavlova
- Jewellery
- Interior Design
- Pizza making
- Murals/Street Art
- Fermentation
- Flower arranging
- Sourdough making
Coffee
It feels right to start with coffee making in Melbourne. We love our shots, and there’s a full team of caffeine aficionados at Market Lane in Collins Street busting to show you how to make ‘em.
Between the training manager and the roaster at Market Lane, there’s nearly 30 years of know-how.
The three-hour espresso and milk class is popular—a hands-on experience where you learn the tricks to making a wicked hot beverage at home.
Extraction, milk steaming and latte pouring are all part of the lesson. What’s neat is that there’s a maximum class of four, and you take home a bag of beans and a brew guide to keep you on track.
Glass blowing
Image credit: HotHaus | Supplied
For four years, HotHaus in Heidelberg West has been guiding people through the basics of working with hot glass. Safety considerations, how to use hand tools, gathering glass from a hot furnace and adding colour to pieces are all factored in.
Some may say blowing a bubble into molten glass would be a life highlight.
Owner/Operator, and one half of HotHaus, Amanda Dziedzic says “being able to sculpt with glass is like pure magic. Trust us, any drink tastes better out of a cup you made yourself.”
Groups are limited to six, with bigger group and team-building classes also possible. And this year, there are Halloween-themed sessions.
Make-up
Image credit: Tre Dallas | Supplied
Make-up artist Tre Dallas isn’t keen on name-dropping, but we’ve found out he’s spruced up the likes of Anna Wintour, Erin Holland and Gemma Ward.
He finds people have a heap of product in drawers they don’t know how to use or realise the lippie they’re using isn’t right for them, but persist anyway.
His classes are typically small groups of women (often getting ready for a milestone celebration), while men love a one-one grooming and styling session.
Decades into his illustrious career, Dallas is still nervous ahead of a session but “once I am in the zone, the nerves fade away.”
BTW glossy lips, "the glossier the better”, are in this Spring.
Bookings are accepted via Instagram DM @tredallas.
Pavlova
Image credit: Pav Queen | Supplied
Nerida Conway, who’s made an estimated five thousand pavlovas, created Pav Queens as a lockdown pivot, after perfecting a birthday pav for a friend.
Nerida loves sharing her signature Pavlova recipe which is made in a “very unconventional way”.
“Masterclasses are a fun, creative outlet - working with what’s in season and the only limit is our imagination.”
Her favourite is the Espresso and Baileys Pav even though she’s more a “chips and cheese, savoury lover” rather than a sweet tooth.
One of her students said she wanted to learn to make a pav in memory of her dear aunt who had passed away, to keep a family pav-making tradition going.
Bookings via Instagram.
Jewellery
Image credit: Sheal Jewellery | Supplied
After almost twenty years in dental tech, making things like false teeth and orthodontic appliances, Sian Healy (Sheal Jewellery) says it was easy to transfer those skills to jewellery making.
She’s teamed up with Stephanie Swan (Jane Finch Jewellery) to run workshops in Laverton North with no more than six people who want to make a precious item of jewellery. And it doesn’t have to be a ring.
The pair teach the lost wax method where a ring, earrings, pendants etc. are built out of wax then cast into the metal of choice.
“Since I create one-of-a-kind jewellery, it’s really hard to pick one piece that is so special to me. I actually have a new favourite almost every week. I enjoy anything colourful.”
Interior Design
Image credit: Steven Cordony | Supplied
Acclaimed interior designer Steven Cordony hits Melbourne in his inimitable ebullient fashion, bursting with passion for creating cool spaces, elevating layouts and generally zhuzh-ing up a place.
The masterclass later this month at a Boutique Homes mansion in Bentleigh, is promising to be a step-by-step guide to memorable, modern styling and there’s a Q & A planned.
His forte is working the room, engaging with like-minded styling enthusiasts and coming up with inspired, wow-factor ideas.
“For me, design is about creating spaces that are both beautiful and functional – places that spark joy and bring people together."
Pizza making
Image credit: Roccella | Supplied
Sicilian-born chef Francesco Crifò, making pizzas for more than twenty years, runs traditional trattoria Roccella (East Melbourne, Bundoora).
The award-winner is all about long-fermentation doughs, artisanal deli products and loves a gelato/dessert bar.
“Pizza is not just a dish but a reflection of culture, technique and passion.”
You’re gonna get your hands dirty as the highly personable Crifò enthusiastically guides you through the art of dough fermentation, stretching and toppings in his highly interactive masterclasses.
He says he’s keen to share the tips and tricks of making a Napoletana pizza at home, with some classes focusing on gluten-free.
Murals/Street Art
Image credit: Blender Studios | Supplied
Artists Adrian Doyle, Matt Hannah, Su Pan Sa, Louis Moore, Akemi Ito hold a host of workshops – an estimated 800 a year - at Blender Studios in West Melbourne.
The spray-paint class for kids (aged 8 and upwards) discusses composition, colour and spray – and you keep the canvas artwork, of course.
Doyle started his art life “scribbling on trains, playing in drains and exploring abandoned buildings.”
Three years ago, Doyle – who opened Blender Studios in 2001 - got his PhD at Vic Uni on the intersection between fine art and street art.
Other workshops include freehand spray painting, skateboard design and painting, stencil artwork and collage.
Fermentation
Image credit: William Angliss Insitute | Supplied
Fascinated by fermentation? Wanna learn about gut-friendly microbes? There are courses at William Angliss Institute in Little Lonsdale Street.
You create your own Kimchi, Fermented Hot Sauce and pickled veggies – as the science behind lacto-fermentation is revealed.
Industry trainer Praveen Rachakonda shares how to prepare brine, best jarring methods and teaches the ultimate skill – safe fermenting practices.
“My inspiration comes from my Indian heritage, where fermented foods like Heirloom yoghurts, Dosa, Kanji and Achaar are a daily tradition.”
“Fermentation is more than just preservation. It’s a way to unlock incredible flavours and create gut-friendly super foods.”
Sessions resume in 2026.
Flower arranging
Image credit: Melbourne Flower Merchant | Supplied
These are hands-on floral workshops at the Melbourne Flower Merchant studio in Bourke Street run by creative director Elizabeth Ricci - who is all about bouquets, table-scaping, seasonal wreath-making and more.
Sessions are beginner-friendly, with all flowers and tools provided – and of course, you take home your creation.
It’s all about “a contemporary twist on traditional design principles, encouraging people to create confidently with seasonality, form and flow.”
Sourdough making
Image credit: Ottimo Bakery | Supplied
Bec Bremner started as a home-baker and recently opened her own place Ottimo Bakery in Sunbury – which is basically breads, baked goods and great coffee.
Each Saturday, she welcomes a fresh group of sourdough enthusiasts who want to learn sustainable and traditional bread-making methods.
She’s all about working with local producers and honouring timeless baking techniques – relying solely on wild yeast cultivated in her signature sourdough starter – ensuring a fermentation process that adds flavour and digestibility.
“It’s real, nourishing bread, no additives. We teach in such a way that it’s not an all-day process so it fits around family and work.”
BTW Bec assures, “It’s actually hard to kill a sourdough starter.”
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