Explore New Orleans’ Culinary Scene: Top Cooking Classes & Insider Tips
Home to multiple James Beard Award-winning restaurants, world-renowned chefs and mouth-watering Creole and Cajun cuisine, New Orleans is easily one of the best places to showcase (or brush up on) your culinary skills. Do just that with a New Orleans cooking class - the perfect activity for amateur cooks, professional chefs, and everyday foodies alike. Learn how to make specialty New Orleans dishes at any level, and enjoy the fruits of your labor afterward.
Here are a few of our favorite Crescent City-based cooking classes that are sure to have you cooking jambalaya back home in Jersey, and frying beignets way out in Boston. For more New Orleans cooking classes, visit here. And for recipes you can bring home and cook anytime, visit here.
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The New Orleans School of Cooking is in the heart of the French Quarter, located in a historic building from the 1800s. Make classic Cajun/Creole dishes like gumbo, jambalaya, and pralines: the instructors teach the basic skills necessary to create these delicious recipes, and ensure that the entire group has fun doing it! You can choose from open demonstration classes, hands-on classes, or even a private event/team-building exercise! Be sure to shop the local produce, cookbooks, and products in the Louisiana General Store at the school, too.
2
Keto can wait - a class at the Bakehouse NOLA is worth the extra carb intake. Located in New Orleans’ Bywater, the Bakehouse NOLA is a historic shotgun home turned baking classroom led by culinary influencer and pastry aficionado, Joy the Baker.
Joy teaches everything from biscuits to beignets, pretzels and cookies, crafts cakes, and more. She’s even the mastermind behind Drake on Cake. Always making sure to prioritize fun, Joy’s classes are wonderful for groups like bachelorette and birthday parties. Book yours today!
3
New Orleans isn’t just known for its culinary traditions, it also has a rich cocktail culture. The Sazerac, Hurricanes, Pimm’s Cup and more are all unique New Orleans drinks enjoyed around the world. There’s no better place to learn their stories and mix your own than at Drink Lab NOLA.
Taught by local mixologist Daniel Victory, classes at Drink Lab NOLA offer the perfect combination of education, group building and spirited fun.
4
Choose from demonstration brunches/lunches or hands-on classes any day of the week at Crescent City Cooks in the French Quarter. By the end of the class, you’ll be able to make an assortment of New Orleans classic entrees and desserts like bread pudding, BBQ shrimp, chicken and andouille gumbo, turtle soup and more. With discounted classes for kids, Crescent City Cooks is a perfect family-friendly activity in NOLA.
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Located along the historic Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., the Southern Food and Beverage Museum highlights and celebrates Southern cuisine, beverages, and culinary heritage.
During the week on Monday-Thursday, the museum offers in-depth Creole, Creole-Italian, and Cajun cooking classes that showcase famous Louisiana dishes. While your roux is browning and your rice is boiling, head over to the museum to explore the collection. There’s so much to watch and learn at SOFAB.
