We watch Good Eats, and in our household, Alton Brown’s name is uttered with a reverence reserved for religious figures. When we decided to move to Atlanta, the watching of each episode was punctuated with: “Hey - let’s go visit there!” It was during one such show that we found the Cook’s Warehouse.

With three locations: Midtown, Decatur, and Brookhaven, there’s really no excuse not to visit if you are in the area. Why would you bother to trek to any of these stores?

They have everything related to cooking. Period. Williams-Sonoma? Sur La Table? Ha. Please. From knives to cutting boards, espresso machines to spices, I have never been in a place where you could outfit your ideal kitchen. The Midtown location is dedicated solely to cooking, while the Decatur and Brookhaven locations also have a wine and beer section (Sherlock’s Wine Merchant). (I must admit, I haven’t yet visited the Brookhaven location, but that will be rectified soon enough.)

The first time we visited, we noticed a heavenly scent emitting from the back. Traversing the aisles, we stumbled onto a group in a fully equipped kitchen creating Thai dishes under the tutelage of a chef. John knew then that this discovery was going to make a difference in our kitchen - and most likely, our wallets.

The Cook’s Warehouse offers classes in all three locations - every day. Some classes are “hands on”, where you participate in the actual making of dishes. Others are much like watching a live cooking show with a local chef. Looking to learn how to cook Greek, Italian, or French cuisine? They’ve got classes. Want to learn how to improve your cooking skills? They’ve got classes. Want to meet local (and sometimes not so local) chefs? Ta-da. They’ve got them.

They have a catalog and a website, and will ship anywhere (free shipping over $99). We’ve found some interesting (and useful) items there - and I’ve already taken a course (with more scheduled…). They also offer private classes for corporate events and parties. It’s a great alternative to the “mandatory fun” events that companies sometimes force you to attend.

Hats off to the Cook’s Warehouse for making me covet electrical appliances. You’ve made me a better cook. And a little poorer, too…but we’ll forgive you. It’s worth it.