Expand Your Culinary Skills at Our Northern Virginia Inn

Learn something new during your next getaway by spending a weekend cooking with us. These getaways are held during our winter season. The cooking class weekends feature Chef Matt Finarelli. You will eat & learn how to prepare 4-course gourmet meals. Wines from local wineries will be served. See the menus below for the cooking class weekends.

Special classes for groups can be arranged – just ask!

Dates for our 2026 cooking class weekends:

  • January 30-31, 2026
  • February 13-14, 2026
  • April 24-25, 2026
  • May 8-9, 2026

What’s Included

  • 2-night stay with full hot breakfast Saturday & Sunday mornings
  • Wine tasting with an expert from a local winery & hors d’oeuvres on Friday night
  • Cooking class (mostly demonstration) on Saturday night

What You’ll Do

  • Arrive on Friday afternoon or evening, when you’ll meet the chef and be treated to some delightful appetizers prepared for your enjoyment. We have arranged a wine tasting of Virginia wines at the inn featuring an expert from a local winery. These wines will be paired with the meal you help prepare on Saturday night.
  • Enjoy a full hot breakfast Saturday morning.
  • Explore the beautiful Middleburg area countryside on your own — we have lots of information on fun things to do in the area, such as visiting local wineries & craft breweries, horseback riding, hiking, scenic drives, shopping at the wonderful shops in the area, or visiting Civil War sites.
  • On Saturday evening we will gather in The Fox Den at Briar Patch (our event building) for the cooking class where the chef will demonstrate, and guests will help prepare (and consume!) a 4-course meal. The chef will discuss the many aspects of preparing gourmet meals, including how to prep, how to pre-cook and hold, and how best to present the dishes. And, of course, recipes will be provided. Wines will also be served with the meal.
  • Enjoy another full hot breakfast Sunday morning.

These are sure to be fun weekends of good wine, fine food, and new friends.

Rates for Cooking Class Weekends

Lodging:

Cottage for 2 nights $295 plus tax per night for January & February and $375 plus tax per night for April & May
Room with a private bath for 2 nights $250 plus tax per night for January & February and $325 plus tax per night for April & May
2-bedroom suite for 2 people for 2 nights $275 plus tax per night for January & February and $350 plus tax per night for April & May
2-bedroom suite for up to 4 people for 2 nights $310 plus tax per night for January & February and $395 plus tax per night for April & May

Cooking Class: 

  • Hors d’oeuvres & wine tasting on Friday night and a 4-course meal with wine on Saturday night – $175 plus tax per person

To make a reservation, email us at info@BriarPatchBandB.com or call us at 703-327-5911.

Payment is due upon reservation. No refunds but you may find a substitute if needed.

Menus for Cooking Class Weekends

Feel free to let us know about your special dietary needs.

January 30-31, 2026 — Theme: Spanish Delights

Friday Evening Hors D’Oeuvres:

  • Shrimp and Mango Ceviche
  • Patatas Bravas – The best of the vegetarian tapas, these crispy potatoes are lightly fried in extra virgin olive oil and topped with a tart and smoky tomato sauce, as well as a garlic aioli.
  • Spanish Meatballs with Tomato-Pecan Romesco

Saturday Evening Dinner Menu:

  • Marinated Calamari with Chickpea and Herb Salad – Learn how to properly cook calamari and combined with a fresh and herb-laden mix of chickpeas, onions, and celery, the overall mix is one of the freshest tapas out there.
  • Piquillo Peppers Stuffed with Crab, Avocado, and Marcona Almonds – Piquillo peppers are the best peppers for stuffing – you can make all kinds of amazing dishes with them – but this is one of Chef Matt’s all-time favorite combinations.
  • Paella Valencia with Chicken, Chorizo, Shrimp, and Mussels – If you want to know the best way to make a paella at home, Chef Matt has tons of tricks over the many years of making top-notch paellas.
  • Crema Catalana – A lovely pudding of lemon, cinnamon, and vanilla topped with a crisp sugar crust.

February 13-14, 2026 – Theme: Aphrodisiacs

Friday Evening Hors D’Oeuvres:

  • Puglian-Style Broiled Oysters
  • Crostini with Grape and Apple Relish and Fresh Arugula
  • Piquillo Peppers Stuffed with Pistachio & Zucchini Quinoa with an Orange-Ginger Vinaigrette

Saturday Evening Dinner Menu:

  • Avocado Salad with Grapefruit and Fennel – This salad has a huge mix of different aphrodisiacs and it’s also healthful and refreshing to boot!
  • Honey-Braised Lamb Tagine with Saffron, Almonds, and Cinnamon – Honey, almonds, saffron, and cinnamon are all aphrodisiacs and when combined in the lovely lamb tagine, they are simply divine.
  • Couscous with Cucumber, Pine Nuts, and Raisins – Cucumber and pine nuts are the aphrodisiacs, but also knowing how to properly make couscous is one of the great skills every cook should know.
  • Chocolate-Chile Mousse – Chocolate and spice – not only great together, but two of the all-time great aphrodisiacs to finish off the meal.

April 24-25, 2026 – Theme: Italian American Classics

Friday Evening Hors D’Oeuvres:

  • Clams Casino Herb
  • Cioppino – This Italian-American soup has its roots in San Francisco and has a base of seafood broth, tomatoes, and onions along with a collection of seafoods, including rockfish, shrimp, and mussels.
  • Pasta “Fazool” – Pasta with Beans and Rosemary

Saturday Evening Dinner Menu:

  • Penne alla Vodka – This combination is from American kitchens and there is a reason it makes one of the all-time great tomato-cream sauces out there.
  • Chicken Scarpariello – Meaning “little boots” this dish of chicken, peppers, rosemary, and garlic has a sauce so good you’ll want to scrape it up with your bread!
  • Eggplant Parmesan – Are you tired of overly heavy, super oily eggplant parm? That’s why Chef Matt makes this bright, delicious, best-ever eggplant parm!
  • Limoncello Cake – Light and airy, this cake is one of the all-time greats, and Chef Matt will teach you how to make it – and provide small samples of his homemade limoncello as well.

May 8-9, 2026 – Theme: Summertime Entertaining

Friday Evening Hors D’Oeuvres:

  • Summer Tomato Bruschetta with Fresh Herbs
  • Tuscan Zucchini and Onion Tart
  • Grilled Tuna Steak with Charred Corn and Watermelon Salsa

Saturday Evening Dinner Menu: 

  • Crab Toasts with Asparagus and Porcini Mayo – One of Chef Matt’s favorite bruschetta when the asparagus and crab are at their best in early summer. The rich earthiness of the porcini balances it all out perfectly.
  • Cantaloupe-Cucumber Salad with Spiced Champagne Vinaigrette – The bright, delicious summertime flavors in this salad make it the perfect dish to bring to any BBQ or other social event.
  • Seared Hanger Steak with Caramelized Shallots and Salsa Verde – If you’re looking to open up your steak game from the same-old, let’s look into this often over-looked cut of steak, but one that Chef Matt considers to be the most versatile cut. When combined with shallots and the best salsa ever, it’s a steak that will change your summer grilling game forever.
  • White Chocolate Mousse with Raspberries – The combination of white chocolate and raspberries is one of the all-time greats. Enjoyed when raspberries are at their peak in early summer, this dessert will blow you away!

To make a reservation, email us at info@BriarPatchBandB.com or call us at 703-327-5911.