Steve Stewart has some advice for attendees at Tuesday night’s Suffolk News-Herald/Taste of Home Cooking School: Arrive early.

“For a couple of reasons,” said Stewart, publisher of the News-Herald. “Except for VIP seating, all seating is general admission, so early birds will get the best seats. Plus, the pre-show activities should be lots of fun.”

VIP seating is sold out, but a few general-admission tickets remain available for $12 in advance or $15 at the door. Advance tickets can be purchased at the News-Herald office, 130 S. Saratoga St., or online at www.tinyurl.com/suffolktaste.

The Cooking School itself begins at 7 p.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn-Suffolk Riverfront, but the doors open at 4 p.m. for a vendor expo featuring food, beverages and other goods and services from businesses in and around Suffolk. Mike Duman Auto Sales will collect canned goods for the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia. The “Chef for a Cause” benefit gives anyone who contributes at least five canned items a chance to win a Walmart or Lowe’s gift card.

Suffolk musician Win Winslow, a Chuckatuck native, will entertain at 5:30 p.m. with a selection of acoustic rock and blues tunes.

The VIP reception runs from 4 to 6 p.m., including a meet-and-greet with Chef Char Morse at 5 p.m. The reception will be catered by Panera Bread and Bon Vivant Wine and Brew.

Emcee Margie Wiley of Edward Jones Financial Services will preside at the Cooking School, where Morse will take attendees step by step through six tasty recipes. The finished dishes will be given away as door prizes at the end of the show. More than 20 other door prizes from local and national sponsors will be given away over the course of the 2½-hour show.

“We are appreciative to Presenting Sponsor Hilton Garden Inn-Suffolk Riverfront, Executive Sponsor Towne Bank and Sous Chef sponsors Lowe’s, Mike Duman, Panera Bread, Bon Vivant, WLQM-101.7 FM, Carter Furniture, Walmart and Major Signs for their support,” Stewart said. “It should be a fun, informative night.”

Taste of Home, which publishes best-selling cookbooks and the nation’s most widely read cooking magazine, conducts more than 200 cooking schools across the country each year. Tuesday’s show is the first ever in Suffolk.

For more information, call Lindsay Richardson at 934-9602.