Heirloom Kitchen, Old Bridge Township

Everything at Heirloom Kitchen—a recreational cooking school and retail boutique—is so pretty that customers will want to touch just about everything. The retail portion of the store is beautifully, carefully curated by mother-daughter team Judy Rosenblum and Neilly Robinson, who lay out sparkling French pots and pans, brightly colored table settings, and shining hand-forged knives with an eye to interior design. 

Also on-site, a fully equipped demonstration kitchen plays host to an array of informative cooking classes and chef table dinners. Designed to highlight the best of the seasons, as well as focused, artisanal processes, the sessions give students hands-on experience crafting dishes, and they can also sample wines while they work. Lesson topics vary throughout the month, and can sometimes include tips on how to brew the perfect cup of coffee, stretch homemade mozzarella curds and cook up from scratch dumplings and pho.