Best Vegan Cooking Classes in NYC
Vegan food is widespread, and veganism has gained lots of traction in recent years, according to a study conducted in 2021. For example, New York ranks number 5 in the top vegan states in America. Considering this information, if you are considering taking vegan cooking classes in New York City, now is the time. However, it's important to remember that learning how to cook vegan food, or learning to cook in general, has different layers.
You can just start by taking a class about spices to understand how to select the right ones to give your meals the right amount of flavor, or you can focus on a particular dish you want to perfect. Eventually, learning to cook in NYC can lead to an extensive range of online or in-person courses. If you take your talents further, you could eventually become a chef at one of your favorite restaurants. If that's too much, you could focus on becoming the best cook in your family.
Why You Should Learn Vegan Cooking in NYC
New York is known as the city that never sleeps, but they are also known for their food. In fact, NYC is even referred to as the food capital of the world. New York can cover almost any craving, from pizza and bagels to cheesecake. Being known as the food capital should be a good enough reason for someone to want to learn how to cook in NYC, but there are many reasons why someone would be interested.
For example, learning how to cook can be a fun hobby. Eating is essential, but learning how to cook can be a great way to spend your free time. You can take different classes and learn how to make meals you know your friends would enjoy or create a new dish to push yourself out of your comfort zone. Either way, learning to cook gives you a skill you can always work on and perfect. In addition, learning to cook in NYC, mainly vegan food, gives you access to a larger community. You can connect with other aspiring chefs or students with similar interests as yours.
Additionally, you can create a network of friends that have similar interests but can be from all over the world. It's known that New York is a melting pot bringing people from all over the world together. Attending a culinary school in New York allows you to meet many new people you probably would not interact with daily. Finally, learning to cook vegan food can be a great way to find a new career or part-time job. As mentioned, New York is the food capital of the world. That means there are tons of restaurants likely looking for a new chef. Learning to cook in NYC can give you the tools to start in the food industry adequately trained.
In-Person Vegan Cooking Classes & Schools in NYC
Living in the "city that never sleeps," you will find a school that accommodates your vegan cooking needs. Miette, located in Little Italy, New York, offers various cooking classes, particularly vegan ones. Miette means little crumb in French. Since the in-person cooking classes occur in the restaurant Tartine which means a slice of bread, it's a fitting name. Miette offers a course called Italian Classics for the Modern Vegan. The menu includes a caesar salad, butternut squash risotto, carrot cashew miso spread over crostini, and for dessert, a raspberry sorbet. Students will learn how to make no-meat, no-dairy counterparts to some great and classic Italian dishes while maintaining the flavors and textures of the non-vegan versions.
Mukti's Kitchen is based in Brooklyn and offers Indian cooking classes. The classes are designed to meet students' particular needs, so they provide vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. Mukti Banerjee founded the school in 2010 and used her intuition and eagerness to learn to become the chef she is today. The school offers a Delicious Vegan, Gluten-free, Indian dishes course that teaches students everything they need to know about spices. Since spices are the foundation of Indian cooking, this is an excellent skill for students. They will learn the nuances and secrets of masalas, or spices, and where to get them. Students will also learn how to make five different vegetarian dishes, such as okra bhaji, pakora, and vegetable pulao, to name a few. Students sit and have dinner together at the end of this 3-hour class. She accommodates any special needs, so students can inform her if the ingredients need to be tailored to their dietary needs.
Taste Buds Kitchen in Chelsea is a popular spot to take a cooking class. They've been voted "Best Kids Cooking Class" by New York Magazine but offer great classes for adults. Taste Buds Kitchen offers its signature BYOB adult cooking classes. You can learn and bring your own adult refreshments too. While it is a cooking class, they are also great for date nights, friend's night out, or even bachelorette parties. One class that's coming soon is A Taste of India (BYOB). The class is $180 for students. In this 2-hour course, students can expect to learn the differences between whole spices and ground, coriander versus cumin, and create some recipes that are full of flavor and tradition. The menu includes garam masala, tofu and chickpea tikka masala, homemade naan, veggie samosas, and spiced basmati rice. And remember, you can BYOB!
Virtual Vegan Cooking Classes & Schools
If you can't find a class you like or aren't willing to leave the comfort of your home just yet, online vegan cooking classes are an option too. Online classes are a great way to attend a class from anywhere, cutting out commute time and giving you access to various classes. On the other hand, taking a virtual cooking class means you might have to supply your ingredients which can become costly. Similarly, you would have to purchase equipment needed to make specific dishes which could become expensive as you explore more classes.
The Tuesday Workshop Series offered by EZCompliments Indian Cooking Classes offers a 4-day worship series or a drop-in class. By the end of each class, students will have a complete meal with leftovers to last the week. A menu and ingredient list are provided so students can know what they need to purchase and can tailor the recipe based on dietary needs. The Teaching Table offers a Cook with What You Have class. This class can be helpful if you have a fridge full of ingredients and need to figure out what to do with them. The idea of this course is to learn how to cook without recipes, save time and money, consistently cook with what you have on hand, and stop throwing away food. If you want to explore a bit more with cooking, The League of Kitchens offers a few options.
First, the Indian Cooking Online w/ Yamini course is like a virtual dinner party and interactive cooking class all in one. This is a 2.5-hour interactive experience where students can make three dishes. The instructor, Yamini, wants the course to feel like students are learning how to make some of her family recipes in her home. A shopping list is provided in advance to allow for dietary adjustments.
The League of Kitchens offers a similar concept with their Lebanese Online Workshop #2 with Jeanette course. The instructor, Jeanette, also offers a 2.5-hour interactive experience. She provides an ingredient list to cook some signature Lebanese dishes. After students register, they will receive the Zoom link, shopping list, equipment list, and recipe packet in advance. The course is interactive, and students only pay per device so others can be in the room while the lesson occurs, making it a fun event for the entire household!
Private Group Vegan Cooking Classes in NYC
Private group cooking classes can be a fun and unique way to connect with others, such as a team-building event for your business or a get-together with friends. CourseHorse has live online group classes to plan your next event. For example, they offer a Candy Making: Truffle & Brittle course with materials included. This course is $105 per person and has all the ingredients participants need to participate in this beginner-friendly candy-making event. Common ingredients such as baking soda, salt, and a rubber spatula are not included. At the end of this virtual event, your team will have made candies from scratch and have fun while doing it.
While the Candy Making class is not vegan, you can look on CourseHorse for private group vegan cooking classes in NYC, and if you don't see any, CourseHorse can help you plan your event. You can contact CourseHorse directly through the contact form on their website. You need to enter the type of class you are looking for, the number of participants, and any other notable details. Once you submit the form, you will hear back from someone on their event planning team within two business hours. CourseHorse is easy to book, with confirmation sent within 24 hours, no booking fees, and the support of multiple virtual platforms to ensure your team is comfortable. Use CourseHorse to plan your next private lesson; they will take all the worry out of planning.
