Should You Take Cooking Classes?

Many people learn to cook from their parents or grandparents, picking up basic cooking skills informally and learning family recipes at the same time. For people who are beginning to cook for themselves, without a relative to lead the way, weekend or evening cooking classes are a good option.

In the US, many cooking schools and cooking stores offer a range of classes tailored to both beginning and expert cooks. For example, Sur La Table has entry level classes at all of it’s stores throughout the US, including California, Florida and Texas. Sur La Table also offers private cooking classes and, for adventurous cooks looking for a fun evening, many of their stores offer date night cooking classes. Recreational cooking classes in NYC are offered at many schools and stores, including the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) and Sur La Table. Both ICE and Sur La Table also offer cooking classes for children and teens.

Some people decide that vacation is a great time to learn to cook and schedule cooking classes from chefs who know the best neighborhood markets and are willing to teach people how to cook the local cuisine. Check with hotels and local cooking schools before you book a trip to see if beginning cooking classes are being offered while you are at your vacation destination.

Online cooking schools are also an option. More and more cooks are showcasing their skills by posting cooking videos on the web. Locate a series of videos by a trained chef and you’ll learn how to crack an egg without breaking the yolk, handle a chef’s knife, stir sauces so they don’t burn in the pan or bubble over, and set the oven at the perfect temperature needed to bake biscuits. However, the quality of online cooking classes varies widely, so checking a reputable site, such as AllRecipes.com or Gourmet.com, may be a good option for leads to helpful video cooking lessons.

You can also find cooking classses at most community colleges. With community college cooking classes you know up front the skill level that’s required. 100 series classes should be ideal for beginning cooking students, giving students who are starting with few culinary skills the time and training to become accomplished home cooks over an extended period. One advantage to taking a longer cooking class is the ability to test your skills between classes and come back each week with questions. You are also likely to learn to cook a wide range of food, rather than only a few recipes that may be taught in a single weekend cooking class. Edmonds Community College hosts one excellent culinary school on the west coast and several community colleges near Chicago teach courses for students who don’t want to travel across the country to learn culinary arts.

So, to answer the question, yes, you should take a cooking class if you are just beginning to learn to cook. Whether that class is taught by a professional chef in a group setting, a nutritional expert at a cooking shop, or by your Mom, having someone teach you hands on skills necessary for cooking will make the learning process go more quickly. Plus, you’ll get to eat the results of your lesson.

Other Places with Recipes You Might Like:

• Southern Living
• Cook For A Date
• AllRecipes.com
• Food Network