Welcome, my name is Mercedes. I'm a Holistic Chef and Integrative Health Coach! I help clients make empowered food choices and learn to simplify their cooking routine. I can teach you to make delicious chef-approved meals for yourself, eating nutrient-dense food. Cooking can be really fun and I can…
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So happy to meet you! My name is Chris Ann Sepkowski. I am a Board Certified Holistic Nutrition and Wellness Coach specializing in Hormonal Health and the proud founder of Be Well with Chris Ann, Inc. 10 years ago, I suffered a major health scare that changed my life. From that experience, I …
Hi, I am Tracy Howard, I am a Holistic Health Coach. My greatest passion is to support entrepreneurial/ working women with obtaining and maintaining a healthy balance with work, life, health, and relationships. I am a health coach and a life coach. My purpose in life is to help others discover …
FAQs:
What are Beginner Cooking Classes?
These classes are designed to introduce you to cooking and the kitchen. They are purposely left simple to not overwhelm you. Think of these lessons as the building blocks to your confidence in the kitchen.
Why Learning to Cook is Important?
Cooking skills are necessary to learn as it helps you wherever you are. If you are working all day and feeling exhausted and know how to cook, you can alleviate yourself. You might want to engage yourself to divert your mind, so cooking skills are the best in this regard. The importance of learning cooking skills is incredible, and you can easily realize why cooking is important by acknowledging the benefits of learning cooking skills. Cooking relieves your tension, calms down your emotions, brings out a creative mindset, and many more.
Is Learning to Cook a Life Skill?
Learning cooking as a skill is a great choice for anyone, it helps us increase our knowledge of different cuisines and flavors around the world. You will realize pretty quickly that good food can be just as convenient and quickly available as most of the junk food alternatives. Becoming more aware of how meals are constructed means you will pay more attention to what you eat which will result in smarter, more delicious, and healthy choices.
What are the Different Cooking Tips Every Beginner Should Know?
Although cooking a meal from scratch sometimes feels like second nature and to some people it seems to be a natural gift, there are plenty of us who just don’t have experience or skills when it comes to food. If you’re inexperienced in the kitchen and you’re prone to mishaps and kitchen disasters, don’t give up on your culinary skills just yet. Here are 5 simple cooking tips that will have you approaching expert or beginner cooking recipes with the confidence of a pro:
1. Don't Overcrowd the Pan
This tip is twofold as it affects the texture of your food and its ability to cook evenly. It may seem like a good idea to squeeze that last, lonesome piece of steak into the pan, but once you get your pan up to the best temperature for frying, adding cold produce will lower the overall heat in the pan. This means that the heat will not be evenly distributed to your food, which will prevent it from cooking evenly. As it cooks, food releases moisture. An overcrowded pan will cause the food to steam instead of browning and developing that lovely golden-brown sear you always see on your favorite cooking shows. The searing effect serves to lock moisture into your food, especially meats. So, give your food the space to do its thing in the pan, to avoid dry, soggy textured meals
2. Toasting Spices Makes Them Better
Harness the full flavor of your spices with a little bit of heat. Heat activates and intensifies the flavor of your spices for enhanced depth of flavor. If you are making a mild and spicy curry and you want to get the best flavor out of your medium curry powder try gently toasting your curry powder in a pan on low heat for about 2-3 minutes. This will extract the most flavor from your spices and give your food a more robust taste.
3. Add Salt to Boiling Pasta Water
Quintessential for any successful pasta dish, this classic tip will save you from ever having to endure a bland bowl of bolognese again. Salting your pasta water is the best way to evenly season each noodle, inside and out. Which is why it is so important for ensuring a well-seasoned noodle sensation. Add enough salt to your pasta water so that you can taste it, but not so much that you aren’t getting bowled over by the brine. This will provide the foundation for a delicious pasta dish and will give your pasta dish a flavourful start.
4. Get Your Sauce Perfect
Here, you are cooking according to purpose, meaning, what you are using the sauce for. You may need a thinner sauce for a casserole recipe, or a thicker sauce for gravies. Whatever the recipe calls for, getting your sauce to that perfect consistency will take some trial and error. If you need to thicken up your sauce, a simple fix is to mix 1-2 teaspoons of cornflour in a cup with some boiling water to form a paste. Mix this in with your sauce or gravy and cook on low heat until it thickens up.
5. Seasoning Is King
Always make sure to add salt and pepper to your cooking but be cautious of over-salting. When adding salt, use other seasonings sparingly as they can contain added salt. Proper seasoning can take a dish from tasteless to delicious. Remember to keep tasting your food to get the right amount of seasoning. Seasoning can transform a bland mince and veg into a delicious family favorite.
What Can You Learn in a Beginner Cooking Class?
During each class you'll be learning a range of basic and valuable skills and techniques, beginning with knife skills & safety, making quinoa and rice, different styles of eggs, salads, and sides then progressing to entrees and small meals, impressive mains dishes & an array of delicious desserts. Learn to cook 4-5 dishes each week, utilizing different proteins such as chicken breast, salmon fillet, lamb rack, and steak along with different cooking techniques and accompaniments. From the correct way to chop an onion and make your own mayonnaise from scratch to cooking beautiful eggs in a variety of ways, from pan-frying to roasting, grilling the perfect steak, impressive chicken suitable for family dinner or your next dinner party, or a fabulous 3-course meal to impress at your next dinner party.
What Happens During a Beginner Cooking Class?
On arrival, you'll be introduced to the layout of the kitchen and your Chef. You'll wash your hands and be shown to your seat and cooking station. On the seat, you will find an apron to put on. At your cooking station, which will be set according to the class, you will also find drinking water and hand sanitizer. During this hands-on and informative course, you will learn and actively prepare your own dishes. Working individually and in pairs, participants will be learning in a hands-on and interactive environment at cooking stations set accordingly for each class. Knives, utensils, equipment, and ingredients will be provided for use during the class. During the class participants are provided with tasters of some of the food and some dishes will be available to take home.
What are the Safety Guidelines that Beginners Should Follow in the Kitchen?
When you think of safety, you’re likely to think in the direction of boring rules, multiple restrictions, and guidelines. Basically anything but the opposite of fun, then why focus so much on safety? Well, the kitchen might be dangerous for beginner cooking classes because of the presence of hot pots, pans, and sharp knives. Kitchen tools require proper safety training and strict safety rules. Without proper safety rules and procedures in place for your cooking, these dangerous hazards can come in the way of having fun. Which we don’t really want, do we?
Here are a few common safety guidelines that should be followed in a kitchen:
1. If you must walk while holding a knife, hold it flat against your thigh to prevent cutting someone by accident.
2. Make sure to say “behind you” when walking behind someone. This is done in restaurant kitchens, so people don’t turn around and bump into you.
3. Washing your hands before preparing food, wearing long hair back in a bun or ponytail, and using a clean-tasting spoon are all examples of good food hygiene habits.
4. Always double-check that all oven and stove dials are off when you're done cooking. Make sure you never leave food alone while it is being cooked.
5. Keep loose clothes, long sleeves, and long hair away from hot burners, dish towels, and pot holders. Avoid loose-fitting clothing.
6. Dishcloths and pot holders should also be kept away from hot burners, loose clothing, long sleeves, and long hair. Keep your attire tight-fitting.
Proper safety guidelines in a cooking class can go a long way, especially for beginners. By ensuring adequate safety protocols, you’re making the cooking class a safe space and ensuring that people can be safe yet still have fun!
What is Cooking?
Cooking, cookery, or culinary arts are the art, science, and craft of using heat to improve the palatability, digestibility, nutrition, or safety of food. Cooking techniques and ingredients vary widely, from grilling food over an open fire to using electric stoves to baking in various types of ovens, reflecting local conditions. Types of cooking also depend on the skill levels and training of the cooks. Cooking is done both by people in their own dwellings and by professional cooks and chefs in restaurants and other food establishments.
Glossary of Cooking Terms
As you follow recipes, you might come across some cooking terms that are unfamiliar to you. We've added descriptions of some of the most common cooking terms below:
1. Al Dente: describes pasta that is firm and slightly undercooked
2. Barbecue: to roast or broil meat on a rack or rotating spit over hot coals or a gas flame
3. Baste: to pour juices or liquid fat over meat while it cooks
4. Blanch: to scald food in boiling water for a quick moment and then place it in cold water to stop the cooking process
5. Brunoise: to cut foods into 1/8" size dice
6. Caramelize: to heat sugars until they brown
7. Chiffonade: to roll up leafy greens or herbs and cut them into long, thin slices
8. Clarify: to melt butter and separate the solids from the butterfat
9. Cure: to preserve foods by adding salt and drawing out moisture
10. Deglaze: to dissolve browned food residue in a hot pan with liquid
11. Dredge: to coat moist foods with a dry ingredient, like flour
12. Emulsify: to blend two liquids, like oil and water
13. Fillet: to cut a portion of meat or fish
14. Flambe: to cover food in a flammable liquid, like brandy or rum, and light it briefly on fire
15. Fold: to incorporate an ingredient with a careful motion that retains air
16. Julienne: to cut foods into long thin strips
17. Meuniere: a method of cooking, usually used with fish, in which the food is lightly dusted with flour and sauteed in butter
18. Parboil: to precook foods by boiling for a short time
19. Reduce: to thicken a liquid mixture by boiling or simmering so the moisture evaporates
20. Scald: to heat a liquid just to the boiling point
21. Sear: to expose food, usually meat, to a high temperature to brown the exterior
22. Spatchcock: to split open a whole chicken or turkey for easy grilling
5 Things You Can Learn in a Cooking Class
One of the biggest obstacles that stand in the way of many people taking a cooking class is their schedules. Class times may conflict with work, family, or personal schedules making it difficult to find time to attend. A great solution to the scheduling problem is to host a private cooking class right in your own home.
Here are 5 extremely useful things you can learn from a cooking class.
1. Terminology– Sear, Saute, baste, roast, dice, chop, mince-there is a lot of terminologies that go on in the kitchen. In a cooking class, you can learn appropriate terminology that will help you to better read and understand recipe preparations.
2. Basic Skills-A few of the basic skills you can learn in the kitchen are knife skills, basic cooking methods, such as searing and braising, menu development, and meal prep.
3. New Ideas-If you are someone who loves exploring new cuisines, a cooking class can open your eyes to both new ingredients as well as how these ingredients are prepared in different parts of the world.
4. Timing –A cooking class can teach you how to write a menu, shop, prep, and cook in ways that will save you time and money in the long run. A few hours spent working with a professional chef is invaluable to those who want to improve their kitchen experience.
5. Expanded Palate– A cooking class can expand your taste profile by exposing you to new ingredients, preparations, and combinations that you may never have considered on your own. Speak with your chef before the class and talk about a few things you want o learn and then ask them to bring a few new things to the class that you may not be familiar with, but that may match your taste profile.
Terms to Know Before Your First Cooking Class
While cooking classes are designed to teach you, it is never a bad idea to prepare in advance so you can show up for the class as an A+ student. Here are some of the most common culinary terms to familiarise yourself with in advance of your first cooking class.
1. Al dente: Firm to bite and used to describe pasta or vegetables as the in-between texture of crunchy and soft.
2. Baste: To brush liquid like stock or butter over food while it cooks.
3. Coddle: To heat food in water just below the boiling point.
4. Julienne: To cut an ingredient into thin and short strips, often with a knife or peeler
5. Render: To eliminate fat from met by cooking in low heat
6. Score: To make cuts in food with a knife at the very surface, most commonly on bread, meat, or fish while it is cooking
The 5 Basic Cooking Skills
Cooking can be an enjoyable and rewarding experience, and mastering the fundamentals is the key to success. These 5 basic cooking skills are the foundation of cooking any meal.
1. Mastering Knife Skills
Mastering knife skills is an important cooking skill for beginners and involves learning how to hold and use a knife correctly, as well as basic cutting techniques like dicing, slicing, and chopping. It is essential to practice safe knife skills when cutting as well as taking your time and not rushing to avoid any costly mistakes.
2. Cooking Techniques
Cooking techniques are methods used to prepare and cook food. Popular and essential techniques include sautéing, boiling, braising, and baking. Sautéing involves cooking food over high heat with a fat such as butter or oil. Boiling involves submerging food in boiling liquid, such as water or broth. Braising is a slow-cooking technique that involves cooking food in liquid, usually over low temperatures. Baking is cooking food in the oven. All of these techniques are fundamental to master and can be used in a variety of recipes for delicious meals.
3. Building Flavor
Building flavor when cooking means utilizing the four essential cooking components of salt, fat, acid, and heat to bring out the best of the dish. Adding herbs and spices adds more depth, complexity, and health benefits.
4. Food Safety
Food safety pertains to avoiding cross-contamination, storing food properly, and cooking food to the appropriate temperature. It also involves wearing the appropriate clothing and utilizing good hygiene practices when working in a kitchen. Following these guidelines will help ensure meals are safe and enjoyable.
5. Preparation
Food preparation is the art of combining, cooking and serving ingredients to create a delicious and nutritious meal. It is also important to know what is the easiest cooking method to learn, and you can find out more about how a beginner can learn to cook at home. Rather than going back and forth to the pantry or fridge, or getting measuring cups and then finding a mixing bowl, it is important to be organized and ready to go. Gathering all of your ingredients before you start to cook or follow a recipe will help keep you organized, keep you from cross-contaminating, and allow for a smoother cooking experience.
7 Reasons Why You Should Take Cooking Classes
In this age we are living in now it is common to see restaurants closed due to the pandemic. Not only are restaurants closed but most people can’t even go outside anymore. In this situation, you can find yourself getting sick of home-cooked meals and craving some of that restaurant-quality food. The best solution to this problem is to take cooking classes so you can make high-quality food yourself and finish off any food-related cravings you have.
Although cooking classes are great we can understand why some people might avoid them. it is difficult to learn anything, some people don’t have time, do not have enough money, or are simply uninterested. Well, we are here to prove to you that cooking classes are worth your time and that there are plenty of benefits to taking cooking classes. So here are seven reasons why you should take cooking classes.
1. Cooking Classes Are Fun
The best thing about cooking classes is that they are a fun experience for anyone that gives it a chance. There is as much fun as being in a group of total strangers trying to acquaint themselves with recipes and kitchen utensils. This usually leads to chaos as everyone tries to figure out what does what and hilariously fails.
2. Cooking Without The Clean Up
When you attend a cooking class the staff will sure your workspace has been laid out with all the necessary ingredients and equipment when you arrive. Plus you can make as much of a mess as you want(but refrain from getting too wild) and the staff will clean up after you have left. This means that cooking classes cancel one of the most annoying parts of cooking.
3. Meeting New People
Cooking classes are one of the many great ways of meeting people who share common interests. Which is perfect for making new friends, striking up conversations, and getting help if you’re fumbling the recipe. The people around you might be casual or dedicated but all of them will be friendly so don’t be afraid to chat and socialize. Just make sure you don’t burn your dish if you get caught up in a conversation.
4. Trying New Kinds Of Dishes
Just like in any aspect of life in cooking it’s easy to fall into a pattern that works and then never explore any new avenues. A cooking class is a perfect arena for trying new things, as the instructions are right in front of you. You may also come to love new kinds of food that you never even knew existed.
5. Teaches You Healthier Food Options
Not every cooking class does this but most will in some way teach you about how to make at least a couple of healthy snacks. This will greatly improve your health as you will be able to make healthy dishes whenever you want. Plus, if you ever have someone over whose on a diet you’ll be able to make food that suits their diet.
6. Learn Presentation Techniques
In the age of social media, presentation is everything this is especially true when it comes to food. If you pay attention to your cooking classes you learn to make even the most mundane dish look like a five-star meal. Making food look good makes it more enticing and can lead to even the most picking eaters trying dishes they never would otherwise.
7. Gain More Confidence In your Cooking
Having the ability to create a beautiful food dish in the kitchen will increase your confidence as a chef. Even if you have no prior experience cooking, learning a new skill and seeing yourself progress is one of the most rewarding things in life. Furthermore, this will give you plenty of opportunities to show off your skills to family or friends.
Different Basic Cooking Techniques
The key to cooking is about knowing the moves. Practice these techniques, and they’ll open up a whole other realm of expression in your cooking. Often multiple types of cooking occur side-by-side in any given recipe.
1. Sautéing
The definition of sauté is to fry food in a small amount of fat. Sautéing involves the transfer of heat from the pan to food, usually lubricated by a thin coating of oil that both prevents food from sticking to the pan and aids in the conduction of heat, browning the surface of meat or vegetables. It’s a quick, high-heat method ideal for foods that only need brief cooking, such as tender vegetables, steaks, and chicken breast, and it’s also useful for browning aromatics before making a soup or stew, or meats before a braise.
2. Stir-Frying
Stir-frying is a Chinese technique that involves cooking ingredients in a small amount of ripping hot oil in a wok—a deep, thin pan that conducts heat extraordinarily well. Think of true stir-frying as a high-octane version of the sauté—the signature flip up the wok’s high walls guarantees an even, quick cook. Stir-frying in a skillet is really just pan-frying.
3. Searing
When grilling, braising, or sautéing, the surface of the ingredient is first seared at a high temperature to create a flavor-packed, caramelized, and browned crust. (This is also referred to as “browning.”) The key with searing is patience: it’s very tempting to move meat or fish around once it hits the pan, but give it a good uninterrupted chance to fully brown before turning it to the other side—it will lift and separate from the pan when it’s fully ready.
4. Grilling
Grilling is a method of cooking food on a metal grate directly over a heat source—a gas flame, burning coals, or firewood—which involves heat transfer via radiation. The high heat involved in grilling allows for very rapid browning, so it’s best for foods that don’t need prolonged cooking.
5. Braising
Braising is a combination-cooking method that starts with pan-searing followed by slow cooking in a liquid—usually in a Dutch oven or a slow cooker—until ingredients become tender.
6. Stewing
A very close relative of the braise and a step away from a soup, stewing is the process of cooking solid ingredients in liquid until they turn melty and soft and infused with flavor. Because they usually feature a mix of vegetables and proteins, the texture is incredibly hearty and reminiscent of an indulgent gravy.
7. Steaming
Steaming is one of the more elegant cooking techniques out there, it requires nothing more than a light touch and yields a delicate result. It’s one of the healthiest methods, too, known for retaining nutrition and flavor, since proteins like fish are able to cook in their own juices. By keeping water at a rolling boil and trapping the steam, food is cooked by a gentle constant heat. You can steam using steamer baskets/inserts or by folding parchment paper into a packet, a technique known as “en papillote.”
8. Baking
The process of baking surrounds food with low to medium dry heat for a set amount of time, usually in an oven. Things like bread and pastries are cooked from the outside, creating a light crust around a soft, airy center. Quick bread like banana bread is easy to throw together and bake, but so is this low-and-slow take on short ribs.
9. Roasting
The main difference between baking and roasting is the temperature: while baked goods usually sit in the neighborhood of 350°F for prolonged periods, roasting uses high temperatures to create a crisp, golden brown crust and penetrate more complex ingredients, like a whole roasted chicken.
10. Broiling
One step above roasting is broiling: a concentrated, high-temperature blast of heat typically used as a finishing touch. Similar in execution to grilling, where the direct comes from below, broiling radiates down from the top of your oven (or, in older ovens, the pull-out drawer at the bottom).
11. Deep-Frying
When a recipe calls for crispy, craggly, golden coating, deep-frying is the way to get it done. Deep-frying cooks food by submerging it in hot fat—usually vegetable oil—and while it’s perhaps one of the more infamously bad-for-you cooking methods, it’s without a doubt one of the tastiest.
12. Blanching
Blanching vegetables involves cooking them quickly in generously salted water to draw out their vibrant flavors and colors. Shocking vegetables with an ice bath post-blanching immediately halt the cooking process.
13. Boiling
Whether you’re making pasta or whole grains, cooking an egg, or just need a quick blanch, boiling is a quick and clean cooking technique.
14. Simmering
Simmering is an even gentler, low-heat form of boiling. When you simmer something, there’s a less general movement in the pot or pan (a full boil, for example, moves things around quite a bit) and so flavors are able to melt into one another much more seamlessly—and the structure of the individual ingredients is much better maintained.
15. Poaching
When liquid is percolating just below a simmer, it makes for perfect poaching conditions—especially for something delicate like poached eggs. This term also refers to cooking something in just enough liquid to cover it.
16. Sous Vide
Sous vide (pronounced soo veed) is a cooking technique that requires placing raw ingredients in a vacuum-sealed bag and immersing the bag in a heated, circulating water bath. Sous vide machines are called immersion circulators, and work by simultaneously heating and circulating a pot of water to maintain a precise temperature.
Essential Kitchen Tools for Beginner Cooks
Walk into a kitchen supply store and you'll encounter a vast collection of gadgets and goodies. But what kitchen tools do you need if you're a beginner home cook? This collection of cooking essentials for your kitchen is a great starting place to help you prepare healthful and delicious meals at home.
1. Mixing bowls: Look for bowls in various sizes. Bowls that stack into each other are great if you’re low on space.
2. Strainer: A strainer is perfect for draining pasta, washing fruits and vegetables, and sorting and rinsing legumes such as lentils and beans. Strainers also can be used in place of salad spinners to dry lettuce and other leafy green vegetables.
3. Knives and vegetable peelers: Start with a paring knife, small and medium chef's or Santoku knives, and a serrated knife. Don't forget to buy a sharpener. A vegetable peeler can make removing the skin of produce easier.
4. Several cutting boards: Whether they are wooden, bamboo, or plastic is less important than keeping them clean and dry. Use separate boards for raw meats and produce to prevent cross-contamination.
5. Wooden spoons: Wooden spoons are great choices because they don't transfer heat and they won't scratch the surface of pans. Plus, they are inexpensive.
6. A small and large whisk: Contrary to common belief, whisking some ingredients with a fork won't incorporate enough air. Use a small whisk for vinaigrettes and dressings, and a large one for aerating flour and beating eggs.
7. Heat-resistant spatula: Any spatula may be used to clean out a bowl, but not all are appropriate for hot pans.
8. Long tongs: Keep hands safe by using tongs to lift or turn foods when cooking over heat or reaching into an oven.
9. Grater: You can use a grater for cheese, garlic, ginger, or citrus fruit zest.
10. Measuring cups and spoons: Liquids measure differently than solids like flour, so it’s helpful to include both dry and liquid measuring cups in your collection. Liquid volume measuring cups should be clear so you can see the measurement lines, and glass has the added benefit of handling hot temperatures without bending or warping like some plastics. Measuring spoons are also helpful for ingredients like baking powder, baking soda, extracts, and spices.
11. Basic pots and pans: Everyone has their personal preferences when it comes to cookware, but instead of buying a large, expensive set to start, purchase individual pans as you need them. Perhaps begin with a pair of large and small sauté pans, a soup pot, a saucepan, and a Dutch oven — a type that can be used on the stove or in an oven.
12. Food Thermometer: When you’re keeping food safety in mind, a food thermometer is the only way to make sure foods have been cooked to the appropriate internal temperature.
13. Kitchen scale: While not necessary for cooking, it can help you familiarize yourself with the amounts. Also, some recipes call for ounces instead of a cup measure.
Benefits of Attending Cooking Classes
If you are pondering signing up for a cookery course, we encourage you to just do it. You can cater it to your own schedule, do it in the most convenient location for you, and receive a whole heap of benefits as a result. To further encourage you to put that apron on, we’ve rounded up the top reasons why you should take a cookery course.
1. Master Basic Culinary Skills
A few basic culinary skills will bode well for you in every single recipe you make. Whether it is learning how to properly set up your kitchen before cooking your meal, how to efficiently chop up various ingredients, or even how to avoid burning pasta, cookery courses will go through all the basics with you. Not only will an instructor show you how to do these skills, but you will also get the opportunity to practice as you watch as well. And if you are doing live cookery courses, you can ask questions and get feedback on your techniques. Adding culinary skills to your repertoire will only bode well for you.
2. Discover New Types of Food
There are endless recipes out there that you likely have not discovered yet. Depending on the type of cookery course you take, you will be exposed to a whole new range of foods, recipes, and techniques that help define cultures all around the world. The beauty of online cookery courses right now is that you can learn foreign recipes in the comfort of your home and have a taste of Italy, Africa, or America in your kitchen, and you may very well discover your new favorite foods in the process too.
3. Learn Proper Presentation Techniques
Presentation with dishes is everything nowadays, especially with social media and the dominance of foodie images on Instagram. You will gain the skills necessary to turn even a simple prawn cocktail into a photographic masterpiece that deserves a spot in a foodie magazine. When you learn how to present food better, it automatically tastes better, too. And it will help you impress your picky eater children, fussy partner, and foodie-obsessed friends, regardless of what you whip up in the kitchen.
4. Gain More Confidence in the Kitchen and in Life
Having the confidence to create a beautiful food dish in the kitchen will not only increase your confidence as a chef but your confidence in general. Even if you have no prior experience cooking, learning a new skill and seeing yourself progress is one of the most rewarding things in life. Plus, these cookery courses will be led by some of the most confident chefs in the world, with their energy sure to transfer over to you too.
5. Host the Ultimate Reunion Dinner
It has been a moment since we have all gathered at a restaurant without any hesitation or worry. While times are still strange, now is the best time to host the ultimate dinner party reunion. Invite your friends and family over to your home for a night of catching up, celebrating everything that has been missed, and relaxing with those whom you have missed dearly. Taking a cookery course will give you recipe ideas and cooking hacks to easily make a multi-course meal that looks delicious, tastes delicious, and wows the crowd.
6. Master Recipes That Can Be Passed Down for Generations
There are many gifts you can give your family to have passed down for generations to come. Recipes are one of those. When you take a cookery course, you will be able to learn and perfect recipes that you can recreate for your family at home. These recipes can make it on the weekly menu that your family looks forward to and that you one day teach your children how to make—where they will then continue teaching the recipe to their kids, and so on.
7. It Makes for the Perfect Date Night
Going out in public can still seem stressful for many, and has taken a toll on many of our dating lives. Well, you can bring the spark back with a cooking course, especially one online. Invite that special someone over to your home, get the hamper of ingredients for the course delivered to your door, and set the ambiance with candles and soft music in the background. The two of you will have a blast learning new skills, taste-testing each other’s meal, and making memories to last a lifetime.
8. Give Yourself a Reason To Have Fun
We all too often fall into the trap of being serious and hard-working adults. But we deserve to have fun every now and then. Signing up for a cookery course is the perfect way to spice up your life and enjoy your time while being guided by some of the best in the business. You will likely have the chance to socialize and meet new friends as well. A cookery course is a perfect gift to give to yourself.
9. Take Up a New Career Path or Hobby
The last two years have provided us all with opportunities to reflect on our current life, especially when it comes to careers. Signing up for a cookery class could be the first step towards embarking on a whole new chapter in your life and building a career based on cooking. When you master the skills and establish your style, you’ll have the chance to work for restaurants around the world and maybe even start your own one day too. And for retirees, a cookery class provides the perfect hobby to fight off boredom.
10. Make the Most of Time at Home
This one goes without saying, but we felt the need to include it anyway. Cookery courses online allow you to make the most of your time at home. While many are likely wasting time in the day watching Netflix or browsing TikTok, you will be making the most of your newfound time at home and gaining new skills as an additional bonus. Plus, you’ll be able to treat yourself to some delicious meals as well.
Ways to Improve Cooking Skills
Here are some ways to improve your cooking skills:
1. Attend classes or pursue a degree
If you want to learn a specific cooking skill or develop your expertise in this field, consider attending cooking classes or pursuing a degree in culinary arts. Attending classes or completing coursework with others can help you practice many skills like cleanliness and teamwork, and you can learn cooking techniques that may appeal to employers. Although a culinary degree may be useful for some areas of food service, like fine dining, many online and in-person cooking classes are useful for getting a job in most areas of this field.
2. Learn from others
Learning from others is a great way to understand how cooks work with different types of cuisine and what employers might expect from you in the food service industry. While learning from a colleague at the same level as you is a useful method for improving your skills, it's often valuable to find an experienced mentor to teach you how to behave in a kitchen and to help you learn your strengths. Communicating with other cooks in this way can also develop skills like teamwork and be detail-oriented as you watch them, listen to them, and take their advice.
3. Gain experience
To improve your cooking skills further, you can gain experience in a food service job and learn to work with others in a professional environment. Performing work with other cooks gives you the opportunity to see how they do their jobs and in what areas you can improve to be more successful in your role. It's a good idea to choose a job or internship in an area of food service in which you're interested so you can learn more about that specific cuisine and industry expectations.
4. Ask for feedback
Asking for feedback from your colleagues, mentors, and supervisors can give you valuable information about what you do well and which abilities you can improve. At work, you might ask for feedback during performance reviews to better understand which skills you display the most while working. It's usually best to ask colleagues and supervisors who work with you frequently because they know more about your typical behavior in a professional kitchen, but mentors who help you train or teach you in class can also be a good source of feedback.
How to Find Cooking Classes Near Me
When looking for cooking lessons, you have to maintain a checklist of things to pick the best teacher. Firstly, choose how you wish to learn. Consider where you want to learn and the method of the teacher. Some people prefer to learn in a group workshop, whereas some people prefer private lessons. Learning in a professional kitchen with other people may help you be social.
On the other hand, learning from a private tutor will give you the comfort of home. Moreover, you will be cooking in your kitchen. You may even grab a glass of wine while cooking and enjoy the therapeutic lessons. Besides, consider your current cooking level to pick a class. You may start from a beginner or intermediate level.
Also, consider which cuisine you wish to learn about. You may choose from different themes organized by the instructor, such as the Diwali theme, Holi theme, and Christmas theme. Pick from gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, non-vegetarian, North Indian, and South Indian cooking.
You may even choose from international cuisines to have multiple cookery skills. Choose a local institute or enroll on an online teaching website to find a tutor and learn this kitchen expertise.
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The content herein is provided for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Medical information changes constantly, and therefore the content on this website should not be assumed to be current, complete or exhaustive. Always seek the advice of your doctor before starting or changing treatment. If you think you may have a medical emergency, please call your doctor or 9-1-1 (in the United States) immediately.