The first edition or The Asunción Times Cooking Classes worked! That is not us being modest, the feedback from the participants of April’s Eastern European cooking class was genuinely warm, and we mean it. People left with full stomachs, new friends, and a sense that they had actually learned something they could repeat at home. So, we are doing it again! For #2 on 10 June, 2026, the cooking class theme is dumplings of the world.
What is a dumpling?
Across the enormous geographic span from Eastern Europe to Japan, dumplings are often what you will find on the table instead of pasta. Different shapes, different dough, different folds, but the same idea: A thin envelope of dough wrapped around something delicious.
“What sets dumplings apart from pasta or ravioli is the focus on the filling,” says chef Vadim, your cooking class host on 10 June. “In pasta, the dough is the star and the sauce supporting cast. In dumplings, the dough is just the package. The real story is what is hiding inside.”
“Juicy, seasoned, sometimes still-steaming meat. Soft potatoes folded with caramelised onions. Pork laced with ginger and scallions. The filling stays sealed, the flavours concentrate, and every bite delivers.”
These hot, embracing, boiled little parcels are perfect winter food. Comforting. Filling. Designed for cold evenings and shared tables.
Why make them together?
“There is a reason dumpling-making is a Sunday tradition in countries from Poland to Japan,” Vadim continues. “You do not make dumplings alone if you can help it. You make them in a group: family, friends, sometimes a kitchen full of cousins – folding, filling, gossiping, arguing about whose pelmeni look prettier, and then eating the result together.”
This is social cooking at its purest. “Your hands stay busy, conversation flows easily, and by the end of the night you have made something with people you barely knew when you walked in.”
What you will cook on 10 June
Four classics, each from a different culinary tradition:
- Russian pelmeni: Small, juicy, meat-filled, served with sour cream or vinegar;
- Polish pierogi: Soft, comforting, filled with mashed potatoes and golden fried onions;
- Japanese gyoza: Pork and ginger, pan-fried until the bottoms turn crispy;
- Sweet vareniki: Boiled, filled with ricotta and raisins, drizzled with sour cream.
“We will also cover the dipping sauces and dressings that pair with each style, and pour generous glasses of hot mulled wine to warm up the rooftop on what promises to be a cool winter evening. Along the way, we will share the stories and cultural contexts behind each dumpling. Good food, good company, jokes, puns, and good vibes. Guaranteed.”
The Asunción Times Cooking Classes #2 details
- Date: Wednesday, 10 June 2026, 19:00;
- Venue: Announced per email after ticket purchase;
- Cost: ₲200.000 (approximately US$32) per person;
- Spaces are limited, so get your ticket now, using The Asunción Times Cooking Classes ticket purchase page (here).
Come alone, bring a friend, or bring a date!
“Come on your own, it is easy to meet people when your hands are covered in flour. Or bring a friend. Or bring your darling one and turn the evening into a date night that is more interesting than another dinner reservation.”
Spaces are limited to 12 participants, because it is a hands-on workshop, not a cooking show. “That means we keep the group small enough for everyone to be at the table.”
Chef Vadim Kondratyev, with his ever-standing sarcasm and a passion for simple comfort food and human souls, will be there to guide you through every fold, fill, and pinch. Connect with Vadim on Instagram! “See you on 10 June. Come hungry.”
