Food events, tours and cooking classes in the Triangle

After eight rounds of 16 chefs facing off for the Cooking for a Classic, it’s time for Round 2. The competition will continue throughout March until one winner is crowned and receives the keys to a 1969 Corvette Stingray. Proceeds from the competition will benefit the Lucy Daniels Center, a therapeutic education setting and mental health treatment facility for children of preschool through elementary-school age.

A Round 2 dinner is Wednesday, March 15. The semifinals will take place March 20 and 21, with the final competition set for March 27. All Cooking for a Classic events take place at 1705 Prime, 1705 E. Millbrook Road, Raleigh. Each chef will present a three-course small-plate menu plus a signature cocktail, wine or beer pairing for each course. Doors open at 6 p.m. for a 6:30 seating for each event. Guests rate the dishes using a smartphone and help determine the winner.

Tickets for Round 2 are $75 plus tax and gratuity, and are available at www.cookingforaclassic.com. Tickets for the semifinals are $100, and $125 for the finals.

The Durham hotel is launching a “History of the Cocktail” series from 6 to 8:30 p.m. On one Wednesday per month, head to the rooftop bar where head bartender Kevin Coe and Alley Twenty Six owner/head bartender Shannon Healey will explore the origins of a notable cocktail. On March 22, they will discuss the Old Fashioned. On April 19, it will be the Manhattan. The hotel is at 315 E. Chapel Hill St., Durham. thedurham.com

Crook’s Corner, 610 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, is celebrating 35 years through April 4 with a variety of specials, including a birthday cake on April 4 at the Red Beans Roadshow. The restaurant is asking people to submit stories and notes via the restaurant’s Facebook page or email them to webmaster@crookscorner.com.

Local restaurants will have samplings of their favorite comfort foods Friday, March 24, from 7 to 10 p.m. to benefit the Shore Grief Center. The nonprofit helps those following the death of a loved one. Groups are in Wake Forest, North Raleigh and Wilson and at area schools upon request. The cookoff will be at the Event Space at The Cotton Company, 306 S. White St., Wake Forest. Participating restaurants are Big Al's BBQ, Gooey's American Grille, Leli's Diner, The Mac House, Real McCoy's, Trattoria Italiana by Bruno and the Angus Barn for dessert. Attendees will vote for their favorite. Tickets are $25 for adults, $10 for teens and free for 12 and under. Adult tickets include one beer or glass of wine and five raffle tickets. http://bit.ly/shorecookoff17. Theshoregriefcenter.org.

The first food truck rodeo in North Raleigh is March 25, from 3 to 7 p.m. at 9500 Durant Road, Raleigh. There will be five trucks: Havana Daves, Sarges Chef on Wheels, JAM Ice Cream, Arepa Culture and Zekes Meats. There also will be live entertainment. Sales from the event benefit Make a Wish of Eastern NC.

The Raleigh Food & Wine Festival is hosting a market with 20 vendors March 26, from noon to 5 p.m. at Raleigh Beer Garden, 614 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh. Sample from local food and beverage brands before buying. There will be on-stage cooking demos with local chefs and tastemakers. Admission is $5. The first 200 people to register online receive free admission. raleighfoodandwine.com/market.

The Rodeo on Rosemary is Sunday, March 26, from noon to 5 p.m. on Rosemary Street in Chapel Hill between Henderson and North Columbia streets. At least 13 trucks are expected to attend. Guests can take their food to the top of Wallace parking deck, where there will be tables and chairs. There will be games for children and a DJ. Parking is free on Sundays in downtown Chapel Hill. Special event parking will be available at the Wallace parking deck. For details, go to downtownchapelhill.com or the Rodeo on Rosemary page on Facebook.

Durty Bull Brewing and Boricua Soul Food truck are hosting a four-course dinner March 26, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Durty Bull Brewing Company, 206 Broadway St., Suite 104, Durham. Tickets are $45 at squareup.com/store/boricua-soul.

Taste Nutrition Consulting is pairing up with local restaurants to teach about nutrition while showcasing each restaurant’s nutritious offerings. On March 27 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Chef and Owner Mike Lee of M Sushi will demonstrate how to make one of M Sushi’s popular menu items featuring North Carolina shrimp, Hokkaido scallops and Hawaiian bigeye tuna. Dinner will be served following the class. $50 plus tax. M Sushi is at 311 Holland St., Durham. Msushidurham.com.

Triangle Food Tours hosts a Dine with Chef at Vidrio, 500 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh, March 28 at 6 p.m. The menu features Mediterranean dining. Tickets are $51, which includes taxes and tip. Space is limited. trianglefoodtour.com/events.html

Lonerider Brewing Company and Provenance are hosting a benefit March 30 to benefit NC Farm Families, a group that advocates for local pork farmers. The meal will be at Provenance, 120 E. Martin St., Raleigh. A reception is at 6:30 p.m. followed by dinner at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $65 per person. provenance-lonerider.brownpapertickets.com/

Mystery Brewing in Hillsborough will take part in a four-course beer-meal pairing at the Fairview Dining Room at Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club in Durham, March 30, from 6:45 to 9 p.m. Head brewer Erik Lars Myers will discuss the brewing process and how they pair with seasonal ingredients. Tickets are $65 per person, or $54 for Executive Club members. Reserve a spot by calling 919-493-6699 or go to washingtondukeinn.com.

Poole’s Diner will begin serving brunch on weekends again starting April 1. The restaurant decided to resume brunch after Joule, a sister restaurant, closed. Brunch service will be Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Poole’s is at 426 S. McDowell St. ac-restaurants.com/pooles/

The second annual spaghetti dinner, the night before the Raleigh Rock 'n' Roll Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K, is April 1 from 6 to 9 p.m. in front of The Raleigh Times at 14 E. Hargett St., Raleigh. The spaghetti dinner is from Gravy with local beer from Oskar Blues Brewery. There will be live entertainment. On the menu: Gravy’s spaghetti and meatballs and garlic knots with a kale Caesar salad, for $10 a plate. Buy tickets at eventbrite.com or at the event gate. Profits benefit YMCA of the Triangle Southeast Raleigh project.

The event from All About Beer Magazine will feature 75 breweries April 1 at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds. The breweries will be spread out into “festivals within the festival,” including 36 breweries in the North Carolna Beer Garden. There also is a cider garden and International Beer Oasis. There will be live music and a “silent disco.” Attendees can choose between two sessions: noon to 4 p.m. or 6 to 10 p.m. General admission tickets are $45 in advance (or $55 at the door, if available) and include a tasting glass and unlimited four-ounce tastings from more than 250 beers. VIP tickets are $90. An expert-led course of six Beer and Cheese Pairings is an additional $15. worldbeerfestival.com

With the advent of dedicated winemakers that have elevated the quality of wines coming from this Mediterranean island, indigenous grapes like Nero d’Avola, Frappato, Catarratto, and Zibibbo have made a strong comeback as alternatives to more well-known Italian varietals and regions.$40 per person, including wine, cheese plate, service fee and tax. Reserve at 919-542-2121. 6 to 8 p.m. March 23 at The Fearrington Granary Restaurant, 2000 Fearrington Village Center, Pittsboro. fearrington.com/eateries/the-fearrington-granary.

The Ackland Art Museum has reinstalled its galleries of Asian art, presenting its renowned collection from across the Asian continent in a whole new way. Join the museum’s associate curator Bradley Bailey as he shares a presentation of the two components to the exhibition. This is a one-hour class. Menu: Spring Rolls, Egg Custard Pots with Asparagus and Peas; Butternut Squash Dal. March 31, noon. $30. Southern Season, 201 S. Estes Drive, Chapel Hill. 919-929-7133, southernseason.com.

Remember the Women’s League and Church Fellowship cookbooks of yesteryear? Those will put you in the mood for Sheri Castle’s menu of straight-up Poppy Seed Chicken; Greek Baked Ziti; Easy Chicken Chilaquiles; Sweet Potato Sonker with Milk Dip. March 30, 6 p.m. $50. Southern Season, 201 S. Estes Dr., Chapel Hill. 919-929-7133, southernseason.com.

Mandolin is a Raleigh neighborhood restaurant that serves ingredients that often come from their own garden. Chef Sean Fowler builds the menu based on what is available. Menu: Grilled, Wild North Carolina Oysters with Mr. Soul’s Mignonette; Oysters Mandolin; Cornbread and Oyster Stuffing with Mushroom Veloute; Parsnip Mousse with Meyer Lemon, Sabayon, and Ginger Tuile. March 29, 6 p.m. $55. Southern Season, 201 S. Estes Drive, Chapel Hill. 919-929-7133, southernseason.com.

Raleigh is the home of Capital Phantoms, the Peg-legged ghost, Yarborough Hotel Ghosts, Moore’s Square and Tobacco Road Tours’ Raleigh Pub Crawl. On this tour you’ll spend about 25 minutes in three of Raleigh’s pubs. March 24, 25, 31, 7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. $19 plus small service fee. Mecca Restaurant, 13 E. Martin St., Raleigh. 919-832-5714

Go behind-the-scenes on the Raleigh Craft Cocktail & Cultural Walking Tour to meet bar owners, bartenders and industry experts for a unique cocktail experience at four Downtown Raleigh cocktail havens. Drink delicious, well-balanced libations from the nation’s top mixologists. Learn about Raleigh’s integral role in the revival of the cocktail culture, as well as the origins and back-stories of the spirits in the cocktails. March 25, 4 p.m.-7 p.m. $48.98. Circa 1888, 412 W. Davie St., Raleigh. 919-307-4597

The Durham Pub Crawl & Haunted Adventure Tour is designed for guests seeking a unique and different downtown Durham n experience. This is a walking tour covering approximately 1 mile, and guests will receive special treatment at four downtown bars, restaurants and pubs. Hear ghost stories about Durham’s haunted buildings. March 17, 18, 24, 25, 31. 7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. $19 plus small service fee. American Tobacco Campus, 318 Blackwell St., Durham. 919-433-1566, americantobaccohistoricdistrict.com.

Tour the facility in downtown Knightdale to see how Lassiter’s North Carolina Rum is made. Tours run for 30-45 minutes and include a sample of our rum for all guests 21 and over. 1 and 2 p.m. on March 25. 5:30 p.m. on March 23 and 30. Lassiter Distilling Company, 319 N. First Ave., Knightdale. 919-295-0111, lassiterdistilling.com.

Experience North Carolina’s best restaurants and food shops on a walking food tour of downtown Chapel Hill and Carrboro with Taste Carolina Gourmet Food Tours. From fine-dining restaurants to mom & pop shops, sample innovative and upscale dishes all sourced from local ingredients. Tours are open for advance registration on Saturdays, all yearround. Private tours can be arranged for groups on weekdays and weeknights. Schedules are subject to change. March 25. 11 a.m., 3:15 p.m. $55-$69.50. Open Eye Cafe, 100-C E. Main St., Carrboro. 919-968-9410, openeyecafe.com.

Experience North Carolina’s best restaurants and food shops on a walking food tour of downtown Durham with Taste Carolina Gourmet Food Tours. Tours are open for advance registration on Saturdays. Private tours can be arranged for groups on weekdays and weeknights. Schedules are subject to change. For the full schedule go to tastecarolina.com. March 25. 1:45 p.m., 3 p.m. $55-$69.50. Durham Visitors Center, 101 E. Morgan St., Durham. 919-371-2653

Experience Raleigh’s best restaurants and food shops on a walking food tour of downtown Raleigh with Taste Carolina Gourmet Food Tours. Tours are open for advance registration on Fridays and Saturdays, all year: 1:30 and 4 on Fridays, and 2, 3:30, and 4 on Saturdays. Private tours can be arranged for groups on weekdays and weeknights. Schedules are subject to change. For the full schedule, go to tastecarolina.com. $55-$69.50.

The Raleigh Roots Tour explores the areas of Seaboard Station, Mordecai and Oakwood, which are historic neighborhoods located at the edge of downtown. This tour does not walk near the Capitol or along historic Fayetteville Street. The Raleigh Roots tour has a strong foodie/farm-to-table vibe. The tour includes food at three restaurants plus a beer or wine tasting and dessert. March 25. 10 a.m. $55-$69.50. tastecarolina.net/raleigh/

This story was originally published March 21, 2017 at 12:00 PM with the headline "Food events, tours and cooking classes in the Triangle."