Food lovers unite!
No longer does traveling mean the fear of tummy troubles. Cooking classes have made epicurean exploration not only feasible but fun. Even if you don’t consider yourself a traveling gourmand, pretty much everybody likes food and most especially, good food.
Cooking classes welcome all appetites and ability levels, so here’s why you should plan one for your next trip.
Social
Most cooking classes are made up of a chef or two and a small group of students. You’re thrown into a diverse mix of people but the activity provides an automatic icebreaker.
Since you’re all in it together, there’s really no pressure on you the individual if you’re not a very experienced cook. Everyone is responsible for the outcome of the meal.
The setting is intimate and if you’re lucky, social. This is one reason why you should take a class at the beginning of your trip, because you might meet people and make friends to travel with.
Learn
The other reason you should go at the beginning is to familiarize yourself with local ingredients and popular dishes, as an orientation of sorts to the culinary landscape of your new home.
All ingredients are bought, some preparation is done and you split the work with everyone. You’re job is really just to learn.
By taking a class, you’ll know what flavors to avoid and how to order a dish to your liking. It’s also great for picking up some of the language. Even though most cooking classes around the world are available in English, you’ll hear and learn how to use the names of the different ingredients and dishes, making it easier to order in the future.
Activity
There are only so many museums you see. Instead of passively sightseeing, why not participate in the culture directly? You have to eat anyway … and cooking is a lot of fun.
And at least for me, cooking is relaxing. You’re focused on one objective and in a way that helps to clear your head, lifting away some of the stress that might have accumulated during your trip.
Souvenir
By learning how to cook a local dish or two you can bring some of your trip home with you, and show-off your new skills to your friends and family.
Sure you can look up a recipe online and throw something together at home, but with a cooking class you get step-by-step instructions, insider tips, and personalized info you won’t find in a recipe.
Especially for the amateur chef, the experience will give you some take-away confidence in your cooking abilities.
Delicious
This one might seem obvious but boy - homemade food guided by a professional chef? It doesn’t get much better than that. Plus you’ll feel more comfortable in knowing what you’re eating (no surprise ingredients.)
In a good cooking class, the chef is highly experienced and motivated to teach. Since most chefs travel nowadays you’ll not only get to sample the local fare but also try a few fusion dishes of the chefs’ own creation.
More Resources
World Cooking Tours is an online directory listing gourmet culinary vacations from around the world. Simply use the menu on your right to start your cooking holiday search.
The Ultimate Guide to Cooking Schools
The right hand side of the website has a long list of cooking schools across the world, insider favorites, wine courses, star chef seminars, hotel cooking programs, professional culinary schools and more resources to get you going.
Cooking Schools in Europe, and Everywhere Else Too
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