Let’s talk cooking. Whether you’re a pro in the kitchen or you have trouble boiling water, taking a cooking class can be a fun way to challenge yourself. Plus, you may learn something new or meet friends. I recently went to a cooking class at Eataly in Los Angeles and, being a professionally trained chef from the Institute of Culinary Education, I wanted to share my experience. So, Eataly cooking classes: are they worth it?
Background
Eataly offers their cooking classes in NYC Flatiron, Chicago, NYC Downtown, Boston, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Dallas, and Silicon Valley. As for their cooking classes, they offer a wide variety of classes from butternut squash ravioli (the class that I took) to pizza to lasagna. They also offer wine tastings and pairings which is definitely on my list to try next. When we walked into “La Scuola,” Eataly’s cooking school, we were greeted with sparkling wine and appetizers to snack on while we waited for everyone to arrive.
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First Impressions
When everyone arrived, the chef instructor went through the history of what we were making. Next, he shared the origin of ingredients, about the technique, and tips for the cooking process. What’s really nice about their classes is they measure ingredients and set everything up, making it a laid-back and fun experience with minimal pressure.
The Course
After the quick history lesson, our instructor walked us through each task step by step. We started with the pasta dough, the filling, and the ravioli assembly. Next we learned how to cook the pasta and create the sauce. It was the perfect balance of demonstration from him and hands-on guidance. Additionally, the class was perfectly paced: drinks and apps, a history lesson, and then cooking. After that, we ate the final product, which, by the way, was delicious! Our class had a total of 8 people. Thankfully, this made it intimate enough that the teacher could make his rounds and pay attention to each pair. While everyone in my class was in a pair, you could absolutely take the class solo or go with a group of friends. The class was 2 hours long and was $125.00 per person. This includes all the ingredients, appetizers, and drinks. It was a fantastic experience.
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Takeaways
If you’re looking for a cooking class that will challenge you and take your cooking skills to the next level, there are more intensive programs out there. However, if you are looking for a fun date night or to try something new with a fun group of people, Eataly’s classes are perfect.
