Discover the Best Cooking Classes Near Me
Do you love watching videos of people making delicious-looking dishes and wish you could do that, too? Did your mother or grandmother have a special dish that you would like to recreate? Or are you just tired of watching so much of your paycheck go to restaurant meals and takeout? Learning to cook can open a new world of possibilities, and it isn’t hard to do.
Why You Should Learn To Cook
People have all kinds of reasons for why they like to cook. It’s fun, it connects them with a community, it saves money, and it can be the start of a new career path.
It’s a Fun Hobby
One of the best reasons to learn to cook is because it’s fun. Cooking can be a great stress reliever. Planning to make a special dish on your day off to share with friends or simply for yourself gives you a goal to look forward to. You can pour over cookbooks, look through videos, or dig out that beat-up spiral-bound notebook your grandma left to you. Making a list and going shopping, perhaps to a special store or market for ingredients is fun, too. When you get home, laying out the ingredients and doing the prep work while listening to a favorite podcast or playlist washes away the cares of the week. Plus, eating what you cooked creates new memories or connects you with times past.
Find a Community
Lots of people like to cook. If you are looking to meet new people with shared interests, cooking is a perfect way to bond. Find food-related clubs in your area to explore a particular cuisine, learn to bake together, or find out more about wine. Cooking and eating together is as old as humanity itself and a tried and true method of making new friends or starting a special relationship with someone.
Save Money
Another good reason to learn to cook is to save money. If you usually eat out at restaurants, go through the fast-food drive-thru, or pick up takeout, learning to cook will save you a lot of money. Try this experiment. Keep track of what you spend on buying prepared food for a week, then total it up at the end. Now head to the grocery store and see how many ingredients you can buy with that money. Learning to cook is great for your budget!
Start a Side Hustle or New Career
Another possible reason to learn to cook is to find a part-time job, start a side hustle, or switch to a culinary career. Sure, you aren’t going to get a job as a chef right away, but when you give cooking a try, you may find that you enjoy it so much that you would like to work in food service. Signing up for a cooking class is the best way to find out if a life of cooking is right for you.
5 Ways to Learn to Cook
If you want to learn to cook, signing up for classes is the easiest and fastest way to learn. You will have an experienced instructor who can answer questions and help you master techniques. You will also meet new people with shared interests. You might make some new friends.
In-person classes are usually held in commercial kitchen settings like hotels or restaurants, studio kitchens, or even the instructor’s home. The ingredients and equipment are all provided. The only downside of in-person classes is that you have to travel to class and find a place to park or pay for transportation.
In live online classes, you can learn to cook in your own kitchen. You have the same opportunity to interact with instructors and other students without the parking hassles. You will get a list of ingredients to buy before class starts, although sometimes you will be sent a class kit. This is often true of wine-tasting classes.
You can also learn to cook by watching self-paced/on-demand videos. You can find many numerous cooking courses on platforms like SkillShare or Udemy taught by famous chefs. Some of these courses offer certifications. You can also watch free YouTube tutorials. You can find demonstrations of all kinds of cooking on YouTube from well-known groups like the New York Times to America’s Test Kitchen, or people who simply started a channel to share their love of cooking and their favorite recipes.
If you are planning to learn to cook so you can become a professional chef, you will probably want to look into a culinary program at a community college or culinary arts school. This is a good way to get a solid education in basic techniques, plus you will learn about running a commercial kitchen and gain some business training.
If you want to work in a restaurant or run a food truck, doing an apprenticeship will give you the experience and education you will need. Many professional cooks started out as apprentices.
In-Person Cooking Classes in New York
Signing up for classes is one of the best ways to learn to cook in New York. Don’t worry about what to bring; schools provide the ingredients and equipment, although some will remind you that comfortable, closed-toe shoes are a must.
Some classes encourage you to bring your own beer and wine if you like, while others are held in establishments where you may purchase drinks. Classes meet in a kitchen with an instructor at a table and the students gather around at their own work stations. You may dive right in and participate as much as you want, or you may simply watch the demonstration. It’s up to you!
In-person cooking classes in New York gets you in touch with experienced instructors who are happy to answer your questions and give advice based on their years as cooks or chefs. You will also meet other foodies, people who share your interests and passions.
At the end of class, you will share the meal you have made and receive copies of the recipes that you can make at home again. But the best part is that you won’t be expected to do the dishes!
Make Your Own Sushi from CocuSocial Cooking Classes meets in Red Hook, Brooklyn. CocuSocial offers many different cooking classes, both in-persona and online. This two-hour class covers the art of making sushi. It isn’t nearly as difficult as it looks. This hands-on sushi making class for beginners will start with preparing and seasoning sushi rice, choosing sushi-grade fish, adding embellishments, and making the roll. The class will create three traditional varieties, including a veggie roll, salmon roll, and shrimp tempura roll.
Requirements: There is nothing to bring; equipment and ingredients are provided. No experience is necessary for this fun, casual class.
CocuSocial also offers a Spanish Paella Party. Paella is a classic of Spanish cuisine, with spicy chorizo, fresh seafood, and vegetables nestled in saffron-flavored rice. Learn how to create a Spanish flavor profile and where to get the best ingredients in this two-hour class for beginners.
Learn to create beautifully decorated cakes and cupcakes in Cake Decorating 101, a beginner’s course at the NY Cake Academy, a one-stop-shop for baking and cake decorating located in Chelsea. During this two-and-a-half-hour session, you will start with basic techniques with plenty of time to practice. The second half will focus on creating a cake with a filling, textured buttercream, piping, and decorations. All tools, equipment, and ingredients are provided. Participants must be at least 16 years old.
Dessert is great, but you have to eat your vegetables, so how about a class on How to Cook Vegetables (Properly). This class comes from Home Cooking New York, located in SoHo, a school dedicated to helping people master the basics of home cooking and have fun doing it.
Vegetables are the centerpiece to a healthy diet, but many people don’t know how to cook them correctly. This two and a half-hour beginner’s basic cooking class covers foundational techniques like balancing, roasting, quick pickling, and working with leafy greens. Participants must be at least 16 years old. You will receive a recipe booklet to take with you so you can recreate these dishes at home. Participants may bring their own beer or wine.
In-Person Cooking Classes in Los Angeles
Whether you are a complete beginner looking to build up your skills or an experienced cook who wants to learn more, taking cooking classes in Los Angeles is a great way to learn new techniques or expand your abilities.
Radical Cooks in Highland Park focuses on healing through healthy food, and the place to start is with Knife Skills 101. Good knife skills are fundamental to becoming an efficient cook. This knife technique class for all levels will cover basic skills like holding a knife, chopping, dicing, slicing, and the julienne and chiffonade techniques. Participants will also learn about caring for knives, sharpening, and storage. The two-hour class will conclude with a shared meal. Participants must be at least 18 years old. Aprons and recipes will be provided. Please wear comfortable clothing and closed-toe shoes.
Cooking and wine go together, but many people feel intimidated by the fruit of the vine. You can gain confidence and build your wine knowledge and vocabulary at Wine Camp - An Introduction to Wine from LearnAboutWine in Los Angeles. In this two-hour class you will learn how wine is made, which wine pairs with which dishes, and how different wines should be served. During class, you will taste the six wines: Dry Creek Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, Albert Bichot Chablis Bourgogne Blanc, Gregory Graham Sanguiacomo Vineyard Chardonnay, Amici Pinot Noir, Buehler Cabernet Sauvignon, and Beekeeper Cellars Zinfandel. Participants must be 21 or over.
What goes better with wine than bread? Chef Eric’s Culinary Classroom gives students access to a professionally designed kitchen, high-end equipment, and a long list of classes for aspiring professionals and home cooks. Bread Fundamentals covers the basics of baking bread. Learn to make pain de menage, brioche, baguette, and focaccia in this two-and-a-half hour session, then you will get to eat it warm out of the oven!
Learn to make pizza from the masters, VPN Americas. VPN is the American arm of Associazione Vera Pizza Napoletana, a group dedicated to the art of making authentic Neapolitan pizza. This Basic Pizza Course in Inglewood is geared toward home cooks who want to learn to make pies in a home oven or outdoor wood burner. The six-hour course will cover ingredients and techniques for making classic Neapolitan pizza. At the end of the course,
participants will receive a certificate of completion and a gift bag containing flour, canned tomatoes, and extra virgin olive oil.
Private Group Cooking Classes in New York
Cooking is more fun when you do it together! You can book an in-person cooking class as a private group event or a party or team building event for six or more people. Use CourseHorse’s contact form to arrange a private event. If you need to add more people when you’ve already booked an event, that’s not a problem. CourseHorse will get back to you within 24 hours.
This all-levels group baking class is the perfect way to celebrate a birthday or shower. Cupcakes 101 All equipment and ingredients are provided for your group to have fun and create tasty treats! This class is offered at Butter Lane in the East Village, a business dedicated to elevating cupcakes to an art form. Even if you just watch during this two-hour class, you will come away knowing the difference between American and French buttercream!
Learn to make chocolate from scratch in Bean-to-Bar Chocolate Making, a class for all skill levels by Raaka Chocolate. Participants will work in pairs to learn how to select beans, then grind and mill them, plus tempering and pouring chocolate bars. Students will also get to taste chocolates created by Raaka Chocolate, a company dedicated to building and maintaining healthy relationships with the global community and the planet. This three-hour class is open to participants 14 and over, although anyone under 18 must be accompanied by another adult participant. Wear closed toe shoes and long pants, and bring a hair tie for long hair. Aprons and hair nets will be provided.
Private Group Cooking Classes in Los Angeles
Cooking together is a great way to celebrate a birthday or bridal shower, or a good way to build cohesion in a team. CourseHorse lets you book an in-person cooking class for a group of six or more people. You can add more people even after you’ve already booked your event. There are no extra booking fees and you will hear back from CourseHorse within 24 hours. Use CourseHorse’s contact form to schedule your private group event.
Get the group together and learn to make pot stickers and more at a Handmade Dumpling Party. Have fun learning to make different types of dumplings in this hands-on Asian cooking class for all skill levels. This two-hour class will cover different dumpling wrapping techniques and shapes using homemade fillings and store-bought wrappers. Then learn to cook and eat them with a selection of sauces. CocuSocial brings you classes on cooking, baking, and wine at local hotels and restaurants.
Like gathering at grandma’s house for Sunday dinner, Chef Eric’s Culinary Classroom brings you Homemade Pastas and Sauces. Homemade pasta is easy and fun to make and you and your friends can learn how in this beginner’s pasta-making class. Mix up the dough, roll it, and cut it into different shapes to use in dishes like red wine sausage ragu tagliatelle, herb garlic turkey medallion linguine, wild mushroom ricotta ravioli, marinara angel hair, plus homemade ricotta cheese.
Live Online Cooking Classes
Another way to learn to cook is through live online cooking classes. These courses are similar to in-person classes in that there is an experienced instructor who is able to answer questions during class and offer help. You can talk with other students and share experiences, although you will be attending over a video conferencing app like Zoom.
In order to take a remote cooking class, you will need a reliable internet connection and a device with a microphone so you can participate. Laptops and tablets work great for live online learning. Classes are hands-on experiences with demonstrations by the instructor. Please log on 5 to 10 minutes before class starts to make sure your device and connection are working properly.
One advantage of live online courses is that you can attend from anywhere. Set up in your own kitchen or sign up with friends and take the class somewhere else. There is no need to commute or search for a parking place! You also have a greater number of classes to choose from and can take advantage of expertise from all over the country if in-person classes are not available where you live.
One possible drawback of virtual cooking classes is that you will have to supply your own ingredients and equipment. The instructors provide a list of materials you will need, and you will probably find as you learn to cook that shopping for ingredients and cooking equipment is more of a pleasure than a chore.
The League of Kitchens connects immigrants with interested cooks to present in-person and virtual cooking workshops. In Russian Cooking Online with Larisa participants will learn how to make vegetarian borscht–beets, carrots, cabbage, onions and apples topped with sour cream and fresh herbs–and pampushki, a type of buttermilk rolls with garlic.
Indian Cooking Online is another class offered by the League of Kitchens. Explore the spices and traditions of India in this live online Indian cooking class. Learn to make aloo paratha with two sauces. The instructor, Yamini, will demonstrate how to make hand-rolled flat bread stuffed with spiced potatoes and onions and cucumber and yogurt raita as an accompaniment. You will receive a list of ingredients and necessary equipment when you sign up.
On-Demand Video Cooking Classes
You can also learn to cook by watching on-demand video classes on sites like SkillShare, Udemy, or YouTube. These can be multi-video classes that you purchase on a subscription platform or free courses you can watch any time it is convenient. The difference with on-demand videos is that you do not have an instructor or other students to interact with.
Culinary Training
Finally, the traditional way to learn to cook is through culinary training either at a cooking school or on the job in a kitchen. Cooking school is expensive and time consuming but if your goal is to work in a restaurant or run your own food truck, this is a good way to go. But if you simply want to learn to cook healthy, interesting meals for yourself and friends, enrolling in cooking school is overkill.
What Will I Need to Learn to Cook?
If you choose to sign up for an in-person cooking class, you won’t need any equipment. Everything you need for class will be provided for you. If you decide to sign up for a live online class, you will need to purchase a few pieces to get started.
What you will need will depend on which classes you choose, but for most classes you will need the following:
- A chef’s knife
- A paring knife
- A solid wooden cutting board
You can do a lot with the above items, but if you decide to explore baking, add these:
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Baking sheets
- Wooden spoons
- A rubber spatula
- A few mixing bowls of different sizes
This should get you started but as you learn to cook, you will want a few more items:
- Pots and pans
- A box grater
- Tongs
- A colander
At this point, you have a basically outfitted kitchen, but the sky is the limit with cooking. Future gift lists might include:
- A stand mixer
- Food processor
- Instant-read thermometer
- Dutch oven
- Stock pot
- Immersion blender
Is it Difficult to Learn to Cook?
Whether or not you will find it difficult to learn to cook depends on your goals and interests. If you are learning to cook in order to have a fun hobby or save money and you like learning new skills, then learning to cook will be fun. If your goal is to become a professional chef, your path will be more challenging but could ultimately be rewarding.
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