Dads are natural geeks. They develop hobbies that become obsessions, and they love to talk about their latest fad. If the Dad in your life loves food and wine, we’ve compiled a list of the best foodie experiences that are sure to get him licking his lips.

Is the Dad in your life mildly obsessive about coffee? About wine? Perhaps about food in general? The trick to getting a gift for a gourmet geek dad is to get him something he doesn’t have yet – and that is hard because geeks already have ALL the gear. So we’ve gone for knowledge and experience instead. And the best thing about these gifts? They keep on giving – and not just to him.

Breadmaking course

If your geeky Dad hasn’t discovered the delights of how home-grown yeasts turn into amazing sourdough loaves that fill the house on a weekend with the delicious smell of freshly baked bread, you need to do yourself (…I mean him!) a favour. Find a breadmaking course in your local area and your kitchen will never be the same again. Homemade pizza, baguettes, olive focaccia… Need I say more?

Winemaking course

Does your lovely dad obsess about the floral undertones, the blackberry spices and the oaked finish in every glass of Cab Sav? Does he holiday to the wine regions to fill up the car with cases of single-estate Pinot? There are a couple of options open to you. You could get him a funky bottle opener or a new carafe, or you could turn his part-time hobby into a full-blown obsession by sending him off on a winemaking course. Pair it with a Merlot grape vine in a pot and Bob’s your uncle.

Beer making course

If Dad’s passion veers less to the grape and more towards the hop then steer him towards a microbrewery course. With the current rage for microbrewery beers showing no signs of abating, there are plenty of options around the country for learning the basics, hands on. It takes work and patience, but a chilled glass of homemade brew is an apt reward.

Coffee making course

The gift that keeps on giving. Especially if you’ve just had a swanky new coffee machine installed on the kitchen bench. Let your Dad master the basics, and before you know it, he’ll be proudly presenting you with a perfect caffe latte every Sunday morning, with a pretty leaf design etched into the crema. Pair it with a cute pair of espresso glasses and a bag of beans. There are barista courses everywhere. Do yourself a favour.

Butchery course

Ok, this might not be to every man’s taste, but with the recent surge of interest in self-sufficiency, the rise of the backyard chook shed and the passion for home-grown vegies, it’s no surprise that the trend for old-school skills has come to this. If your Dad longs for a return to nature and a chance to rediscover those hunter-gatherer skills then a weekend course in butchery or salami making could be a great gift. He’ll get to play with scarily sharp knives and learn to prepare beautiful cuts of meat – not to mention develop skills for life.

Cooking course

Perhaps your Dad’s real passion is for travel, not food, per se. If this is the case, then a cookery course in the cuisine of his favourite culture might be just the ticket. Whether it’s South East Asian, North African or Italian, there are cookery courses to tempt even the most travel-weary man, and inspire us all to head across the seas. Pair it with a new wok, a tagine or a pasta machine. Bon appetit!