For the first 30 years of our marriage, cooking family meals fell almost exclusively to me. That’s why I was surprised when Garth and I printed out a list of dating ideas and “take a gourmet cooking class” was one of the highest-rated choices on his list.
I discovered that there is no shortage of fun cooking classes, and if you are a little adventurous, they don’t even have to be expensive. We opted for a sushi-making class taught through a local grocery store chain, and had a fantastic evening making our own restaurant-quality meal.
Chef Freyka Nuñez Del Prado walked 8 couples step-by step through the process of making sushi rice, proper rolling technique, how to choose fresh vegetables and meats, and how to create mouth-watering sauces for our complete sushi rolls.
Culinary classes are not difficult to come by, especially if you are a little bit creative about where you look. Some are budget-friendly and others will rival the price at a favorite 4-star restaurant. You can find one-on-one classes with a chef, or do as we did and join a group all hoping to learn a new skill.
Cooking Classes – A List of Places to Find a Great Option
You can learn how to make anything from artisan pizza to Beef Wellington with a good coach. Here are a few places you can start your search:
- Check with your local supermarket – An underappreciated resource, your local grocery store is often a resource for finding ingenious and inexpensive (free!) cooking classes. Never underestimate the power of teaching your spouse to make a better pot roast or to run the slow cooker. In addition to cooking classes, grocery chains in my area teach knife skills and offer bulk freezer meal prep.
- Ask your city recreation department – Local clubs, senior citizens’ groups, church organizations, and hobbyists will offer local classes on everything from Italian cooking to cuisine for diabetics. I’ve learned everything from how to deglaze a wok to how to bake bread in a Dutch Oven from members of my church organization, and once, attended an event taught by a world-champion chef who was promoting a cookbook.
- Visit websites for local outlets where kitchen supplies and restaurant supplies are sold. Our local restaurant supply sponsors classes from Instagram influencers and celebrity chefs. One favorite for Garth was a class on smoking the perfect brisket, taught at the local Treager Grill headquarters:
- Look for Airbnb experiences in your area – or in the area where you will be traveling. Airbnb experiences allow you to find off-the-beaten-path experiences for everything from cheese-tasting tours at actual dairy farms, to the opportunity to harvest your own honeycomb.
- TripAdvisor.com will include a section for culinary tours and experiences in your area. Some of the most memorable experiences we’ve ever had while traveling are culinary walking tours of the area we are visiting
- Find a friend who knows how to prepare a delicacy from another country and invite them over for a shared meal and combined lesson
- If the budget is tight, simply opt to stay at home and download a fun YouTube cooking demo. I’ve linked to one my own Mom created for making her signature caramel pecan nut roll.
GOURMET COOKING DATE
COST: $50 PER PERSON
TIME COMMITMENT: ABOUT 2.5 HOURS
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT NEEDED: NONE
ROMANCE RATING: 8
