Astor Center

Credit: Courtesy Astor Center

The ultimate culinary cultural center, New York City's Astor Center offers terrific seminars, demos, and classes. On my first visit it was the food scholar Andrew F. Smith lecturing about the history of Thanksgiving. Recently they had the Chicago chef Grant Achatz talking about the role of aromas in cooking. You can taste wine with master sommeliers, see films, learn how to mix cocktails—you name it. —John Dryzga, Hoboken, New Jersey