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Basic Cooking Classes Chicago

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Learn the fundamentals of cooking in the vibrant city of Chicago, with classes ranging from knife skills and basic techniques to creating delicious appetizers and desserts.

17 classes have spots left

Demonstration Cooking: Hanukkah

Chicago Botanic Garden @ 1000 Lake Cook Road, Chicago, IL

Discover the versatility of extra virgin olive oil in Hanukkah cuisine and learn how to create delicious treats like olive oil ice cream and Italian olive oil cake in this culinary class hosted by the Chicago Botanic Garden. Join us as we explore new ways to celebrate this festive holiday with the help of this traditional ingredient.

(122) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules

Demo Cooking: Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

Chicago Botanic Garden @ 1000 Lake Cook Road, Chicago, IL

Discover the art of creating a delicious and healthy twist on comfort food with a vegetable-based lasagna. Join this cooking class and learn how to make a versatile tomato sauce and master the techniques of roasting vegetables in both the oven and an air fryer. Elevate your culinary skills and embrace the flavors of roasted vegetable lasagna.

(122) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules

Hands-on Cooking: Quick Family Dinners

Chicago Botanic Garden @ 1000 Lake Cook Road, Chicago, IL

Whether you are looking for something for a busy weeknight or weekend, these three easy, flavorful dinners will bring the family together.  Each recipe requires simple preparation but is still loaded with nutrition and flavor. You will learn how to make broccoli and beef stir fry, a hot noodle salad with every color in the rainbow, and chicken and olives paired with a green salad and sourdough bread.

(122) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules
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Explore Cooking & Baking Private Group Events

Explore private group events and team building activities ranging from cooking to art, escape rooms, trivia, and more

Explore Cooking & Baking Private Group Events
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Hands-on Cooking: Sheet Pan Suppers

Chicago Botanic Garden @ 1000 Lake Cook Road, Chicago, IL

Sheet pan suppers allow you to be “one and done!” You will learn to prepare three well-rounded meals using only a sheet pan to cook.  Featured recipes include lemon-roasted salmon with feta and olives, Korean chicken with sweet potatoes and yum yum sauce, and ratatouille with goat cheese.

(122) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules

Hands-on Cooking: Appetizers & Mocktails

Chicago Botanic Garden @ 1000 Lake Cook Road, Chicago, IL

Indulge in a culinary adventure this Valentine's Day with a delectable array of tapas-style appetizers and refreshing mocktails. Discover the art of crafting gougères, roasted pepper tartines, peach brie tart, and savory okonomiyaki pancake, perfectly paired with love potion #9, "dirty martiNO," and carrot citrus spritz. Elevate your cooking skills and tantalize your taste buds in this hands-on experience.

(122) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules

Demo Cooking: Instant Pot Comfort Food

Chicago Botanic Garden @ 1000 Lake Cook Road, Chicago, IL

Unlock the mouthwatering potential of the Instant Pot with our expertly crafted recipes. Discover the art of creating dairy-free mashed potatoes, succulent veal marengo, and indulgent sweet rice pudding in record time. Elevate your comfort food game with this versatile kitchen essential.

(122) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules

Demonstration Cooking: Passover

Chicago Botanic Garden @ 1000 Lake Cook Road, Chicago, IL

Explore the diverse flavors of Passover as you delve into the culinary traditions of the Jewish diaspora. Discover how to create Persian gondi soup, North African-inspired chicken, and a decadent flourless chocolate cake from Mexico City. Expand your culinary repertoire and elevate your Passover menu with this immersive cooking experience.

(122) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules

Hands-on Cooking: House Guest Favorites

Chicago Botanic Garden @ 1000 Lake Cook Road, Chicago, IL

Learn how to impress your house guests with delicious comfort food favorites and make their stay unforgettable. From mouthwatering frittatas and pear streusel coffee cake to award-winning chili and cornbread, this course will teach you the secrets to creating showstoppers that will leave your guests begging for more.

(122) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules

Flavors of Fall

Arya Bhavan @ 2508 W Devon Ave, Chicago, IL

Embrace the beauty of the fall season by putting its flavors on your table through healthy recipes. Undhiyu: Sweet Potato, Potato, Tomato, Eggplant, and peas dish from the Gujrati region in India Okra and Sweet Potato Dish: rich in antioxidants, iron, calcium, vitamin C, B and K1 Vegan Indian Sugar-Free Pumpkin Pie: get all the flavor and nutrients of pumpkin without the not-so-healthy ingredients that don’t really serve your body Complementary...

(10) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules

Sunday Supper – Mardi Gras

Peterson Garden Project @ 5917 N Broadway St, Chicago, IL

Join us one Sunday a month for an inter-generational cooking class! Each month, we’ll cover a new food topic, cook together, and sit down at the end of class to share the meal we’ve created. All ages welcome. FEBRUARY’S TOPIC: MARDI GRAS Laissez les bons temps rouler! Let the good times roll! In this class. we’ll channel the flavors of New Orleans for a Mardi Gras feast and discuss the influences of this delicious and unique regional cuisine....

(10) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules

Semi-Homemade Cooking: Easy Pantry Recipes

Nourished @ 111 S Vine St, Chicago, IL

If you’re looking for quick weeknight dinners, these shortcut recipes will help you get the job done in no time flat! That’s right—were taking cue from Sandra Lee, author of the best-selling cookbook Semi-Homemade Cooking and one of America’s most sought-after culinary experts! Join us to learn how to make a quick, budget-friendly meals using on-hand ingredients and pantry staples. We’ll share techniques for combining fresh ingredients...

(13) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules

Cooking with Indian Masala

Arya Bhavan @ 2508 W Devon Ave, Chicago, IL

Learn to master healthy cooking with masala, a super spice mix that is a staple of Indian cuisine. One of our most popular classes! Masala Dosa: thin crepe stuffed with spiced potatoes and onions, served with chutney Chana Masala: a chickpeas-based, high-protein Indian dish and Arya Bhavan favorite Masala Tea: Indian spice tea

(10) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules

Hands-On Cooking: Stir Fry Party

Chicago Botanic Garden @ 1000 Lake Cook Road, Chicago, IL

Stir-fry recipes are an easy way to incorporate flavors, colors, and textures into meals. Learn to cut ingredients in consistent sizes for quick cooking. Featured recipes include:  cauliflower and maitake mushroom orange-cilantro salmon with bok choy Kung Pao chicken white and brown rice blend.  Alcohol will be served in this class; participants must be 21 years of age or older.

(122) All levels 21 and older
No upcoming schedules

Demo Cooking: Farmers’ Market Finds

Chicago Botanic Garden @ 1000 Lake Cook Road, Chicago, IL

Do you love to shop at farmers’ markets or have a subscription to a CSA but are not quite sure how to use all of the unusual fruits and vegetables that you find? In this demonstration cooking class, instructor Emily Paster shares her approach to farmers’ market shopping and provides suggestions on how to branch out from familiar crops like corn, tomatoes, and zucchini.

(122) Beginner 18 and older
No upcoming schedules

Hands-on Cooking: Preserved Lemons

Chicago Botanic Garden @ 1000 Lake Cook Road, Chicago, IL

Preserved lemons are a staple of Middle Eastern and North African cuisine, and they make an impressive edible gift. In this hands-on cooking class, discover how to make and take home a jar of preserved lemons. Learn to use the lemons in farro and preserved lemon salad. 

(122) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules

Demonstration Cooking: Umami

Chicago Botanic Garden @ 1000 Lake Cook Road, Chicago, IL

Explore bold ingredients that add umami, the savory fifth taste, to your meals. In this cooking class, learn recipes and techniques to prepare: Spinach salad with warm bacon mushroom dressing Flank steak with bloody mary relish Cornbread panzanella with squash Miso caramel sauce, a portion of which you will take home.

(122) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules

Demonstration Cooking: Sourdough Bread

Chicago Botanic Garden @ 1000 Lake Cook Road, Chicago, IL

New! If you love the flavor of sourdough bread but think you could never make it at home, this class will change your mind. Learn how to maintain a sourdough starter and the process of using it to create home-baked bread. Get ideas and recipes for other ways to use the starter, such as biscuits, pancakes, and pizza dough. Take home a portion of starter and get started baking.

(122) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules

Stock This, Not That - Pantry Staples of a Chef

Nourished @ 111 S Vine St, Chicago, IL

Complete Title: Stock This, Not That - Pantry Staples of a Wellness Chef If you want to "clean up" your plate, you've come to the right place. As the latest buzz words among health-conscious consumers, “eating clean” is a concept that stresses healthy, whole unprocessed foods. Although the phrase is relatively new, the principles are not—and we’re here to help you start the journey away from pre-made, pre-packaged commercially processed...

(13) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules

Vitamins & Minerals 101: Why You Need Them

Nourished @ 111 S Vine St, Chicago, IL

Full Course Name: Vitamins & Minerals 101: Why You Need Them & How to Get Them Antioxidants, B Vitamins, Omega-3s…you’ve heard of them and many others, but what exactly are they and why do you need them? In this class, we’ll walk you through each of the different vitamins and minerals—what they are, what they do, and where to find them in the foods you eat. Plus, we’ll explain why vitamins and minerals are essential to your health...

(13) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules

Warning! Is Your Home Making You Sick?

Nourished @ 111 S Vine St, Chicago, IL

The unfortunate truth is that our environment, including our very homes, is inundated with toxins. From laundry products and household cleaners to personal care products and food and beverage containers, chemicals abound—many of which we're unable to see, touch or smell.  The good news is that with eight easy steps, we'll show you how to drastically detoxify your living spaces from the kitchen to the bedroom. By limiting your exposure to...

(13) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules
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