Barbara and Mario Guidetti were talking about opening a restaurant this spring when they saw a storefront on the Avenue vacated by Oak Bay Barber Shoppe.

When they saw the interior space, they knew it was just right for a kitchen shop. Refreshed with vibrant tropical colours and with an angled demonstration cooking counter at the rear, La Tavola is more than just a place to pick up new utensils. Classes on topics from napkin folding to knife selection will be offered. Mario, a chef, will host Friday afternoon demos.

“We wanted to open a unique little store that fed the needs of this community,” Barbara Guidetti said on a tour of the shop that opened Oct. 15. Carrying lines such as Zyliss and Bodum, and products such as truffle oil and porcelain dinner ware, foodies can also find items such as a can opener with a folding cover that dulls lids as it slices – no more nasty finger cuts.

Guidetti isn’t worried about opening a kitchen shop in a recession.

“We’ve survived the rise and fall of many economies and have learned that, if people are spending money, they’re going to spend it wisely,” she said.

Grand opening for La Tavola Kitchenware Boutique, 2039 Oak Bay Ave., is Nov. 6 and 7.

Hold that icing

Kadalima’s Cafe and Patisserie has been hosting specialty classes for foodies for more than a year now. This fall’s line-up includes cake decorating, plated desserts, soups and breads and hors d’oeuvres. Owner Kathleen Duggan said pastry chef Danny Rzepa also had puff pastry on the list. However, misplaced anxiety over handling the fragile pastry might have scared away students, so the session was postponed. A second holiday cake-making class has been added.

Kadalima’s Cafe and Patisserie, 2032 Oak Bay Ave.

vmoreau@saanichnews.com