Improve your home cooking with these 10 (mostly free) online classes
Practice makes perfect
Have you ever wanted to learn to make pasta? There’s an online class for that! — Photo courtesy of Getty Image / zeljkosantrac
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Has there ever been a better time to learn new skills and pick up new hobbies? Cooking allows you to not only maximize the ingredients you’ve stocked up in your kitchen, but also helps diversify your meals so that you’re not just eating the same dish every night.
Plus, cooking is a relaxing activity whether you’re alone or sharing that time with your family.
Recently, a lot of online cooking classes have begun offering their classes for discounted rates, they’ve extended their free trials and some are even completely free! Whether you’re trying to learn how to master a complex dish or are looking to pick up a few fundamental cooking skills, here are 10 online courses for all levels of home chef.
Open Culture’s Food Courses
Edible Education 101 at UC Berkeley with Michael Pollan — Photo courtesy of Edible Education 101 – Michael Pollan
If you’ve read some of 10Best’s food editorial, you’ll know that we get excited to share the historical and cultural cuisines of the foods we cover. For the home chef looking to learn a thing or two about foodways and the science of cooking, we recommend the scholarly classes offered by Open Culture.
There are several classes of Edible Education offered by Michael Pollan of UC Berkeley, and even a fun course from MIT called “Speak Italian with Your Mouth Full.” Best of all, these courses are free!
Take a class through Open Culture’s Food Courses »
Massimo Bottura on Instagram
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A post shared by Massimo Bottura (@massimobottura) on Mar 19, 2020 at 10:01am PDT
This Michelin-starred chef has always risen to the occasion during any challenge. From reducing food waste at Milan’s Expo 2015 by developing a gourmet soup kitchen, to developing a recipe that saved 360,000 wheels of Parmigiano-Reggiano that was damaged by earthquakes in 2012, Bottura always has a creative solution.
And in the face of a global pandemic, when most of us have to stay in our homes, Bottura is graciously offering free cooking classes, cleverly named “Kitchen Quarantine,” on his Instagram.
Join Massimo Bottura live on Kitchen Quarantine »
The Kitchn’s Cooking School
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A post shared by Kitchn (@thekitchn) on Mar 17, 2020 at 6:24am PDT
If you’re just starting out and some of these cooking classes are daunting, don’t worry, the Kitchn’s Cooking School is for you. These classes show you the basics of cooking and apply it to easy dishes that are delicious. You’ll be feasting in no time!
Explore Kitchn’s Cooking School »
BBC Food Techniques
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A post shared by BBC Food (@bbcfood) on Mar 21, 2020 at 3:26am PDT
From foundational techniques to gourmet methods, BBC Food Techniques is a glossary for whatever skill you’re trying to pick up. Just scroll through their vast list of skills, pick the technique you want to master, and learn from the very thorough videos produced by the BBC.
Learn new cooking skills through BBC Food Techniques »
New York Times Cooking
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A post shared by NYT Cooking (@nytcooking) on Mar 19, 2020 at 9:06am PDT
One of the nation’s best resources for food is opening up their online recipe database for a 30-day free trial. You’ll have access to a multitude of dishes that cover a wide range of cuisines. Best of all, these recipes are easy to follow. You’re sure to learn a few new spice blends, sauces and cooking techniques along the way.
Explore recipes in New York Times Cooking »
Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Cooking School
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A post shared by Milk Street (@177milkstreet) on Feb 5, 2020 at 6:11am PST
Milk Street’s Christopher Kimball is fluent in the language of cooking, and his travels have further broadened his vast lexicon of culinary skills. The classes offered at Milk Street are intuitive and improvisational. These are great classes for people who already know the basics of cooking and are looking to explore more ways to experiment in the kitchen.
Learn more about cooking with Milk Street »
America’s Test Kitchen Online Cooking School
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A post shared by America’s Test Kitchen (@testkitchen) on Mar 18, 2020 at 6:00pm PDT
You’ll never be at a loss about what to cook tonight with America’s Test Kitchen Online Cooking School because they’ve got over 230 courses to choose from. There’s a class for everything you need, whether it’s making cocktails for a party or cooking up a weeknight meal.
Classes range from how to cook full meals to being focused on an element of cooking such as making spice blends and upgrading your knife skills.
Take a course with America’s Test Kitchen Online Cooking School »
Tastemade
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A post shared by Tastemade (@tastemade) on Feb 15, 2020 at 9:04am PST
Tastemade brings cuisines from around the world into your kitchen with their classes. There are even classes that cover food for entertainment, like craft cocktails for your guests and bites for the ultimate party. And you can sweeten things up by learning how to make homemade donuts and fritters.
Learn more from Tastemade »
Michael Symon on Food Network’s Facebook
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A post shared by michael symon (@chefsymon) on Mar 18, 2020 at 3:49pm PDT
Cleveland’s celebrity chef and former host of “The Chew,” Michael Symon, is hosting live cooking classes on Food Network’s Facebook page. The interactive classes take you through how to turn common items found in your pantry into delicious dishes.
If you like these classes, the Food Network Kitchen is offering a free 30-day trial to their classes which offer 25 live lessons and about 800 classes on-demand.
Watch Michael Symon’s live cooking classes »
Texas A&M Dinner Tonight
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Whether you’re a college student, or you just eat like one, Texas A&M Agrilife Extension’s Dinner Tonight is the perfect solution. They’ve got healthy recipes and meal solutions for people who are juggling a life full of long work days and school activities.
The meals reviewed on Dinner Tonight are quick, healthy and aren’t that expensive. It’s also a great lesson in meal planning.
Make a delicious meal with Texas A&M’s Dinner Tonight »