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Cost of cooking classes in your area?


Obese-Wan Kenobi

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In my part of the world SE Asia (third world) my class cost me $300. The teacher was a Japanese chef schooled in Japan and France. The price was for 4 people ($300/ea.), my kitchen, his ingredients, his and my tools. It comprised of 10 4 hr. classes, 6 recipes each class.

I'm just curious how much you would pay back home.

Thanks!

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In my part of the world SE Asia (third world) my class cost me $300.  The teacher was a Japanese chef schooled in Japan and France.  The price was for 4 people ($300/ea.), my kitchen, his ingredients, his and my tools.  It comprised of 10 4 hr. classes, 6 recipes each class.

I'm just curious how much you would pay back home.

Thanks!

I have taken several 1-day classes at the Culinary Institute of America. Each class is 6 hours, in their professional kitchens, and costs $190 for each class.

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In my part of the world SE Asia (third world) my class cost me $300.  The teacher was a Japanese chef schooled in Japan and France.  The price was for 4 people ($300/ea.), my kitchen, his ingredients, his and my tools.  It comprised of 10 4 hr. classes, 6 recipes each class.

I'm just curious how much you would pay back home.

Thanks!

Here is the Deep South a five hour class at the local culinary school will run you $135. However, I have not taken one yet...............

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Anywhere from $40 to $225 depending on the place. Sounds like what you're talking about is a private class which would probably be more although we have someone local that did a class in a private home for eight or nine of us for $40 a piece if I remember correctly. There are these classes too. They're a little more spendy and one on one.

Edited by duckduck (log)

Pamela Wilkinson

www.portlandfood.org

Life is a rush into the unknown. You can duck down and hope nothing hits you, or you can stand tall, show it your teeth and say "Dish it up, Baby, and don't skimp on the jalapeños."

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In my part of the world SE Asia (third world) my class cost me $300.  The teacher was a Japanese chef schooled in Japan and France.  The price was for 4 people ($300/ea.), my kitchen, his ingredients, his and my tools.  It comprised of 10 4 hr. classes, 6 recipes each class.

I'm just curious how much you would pay back home.

Thanks!

I think that sounds like a great deal! I took a pastry and baking class last year that was $695 for 8 3-hour classes, ingredients and tools provided at a culinary school. I think we did 4 - 6 recipes per night but it varied. Some recipes were done over 2 days. It might be at the same school that BBQ Brian is signed up at...NWCA?

Don't wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great. Orison Swett Marden

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The chocolate classes that I took (private, because the other 3 folks cancelled) cost $500 for 5 nights. A total of about 20 hours as I recall.

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I'm probably naive, but what would a cooking class offer over watching FoodTV. I can see how it would help if you're making an actual dish, and have someone there overseeing you, but a lot of them are just watching someone cook, and explaining as they go as on FoodTV.

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I'm probably naive, but what would a cooking class offer over watching FoodTV. I can see how it would help if you're making an actual dish, and have someone there overseeing you, but a lot of them are just watching someone cook, and explaining as they go as on FoodTV.

In my experience, the interchange with the instructor and the students is a major advantage. You can ask for clarification, about substitution of ingredients, or even ask "What was that again?". This is not possible while watching television. Visiting afterward, which is sometimes possible, is also a pleasant aspect of the class.

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Hi Blondelle,

For me, watching them cook on TV is very different from actual cooking. I only take classes where I am actually doing everything and being guided by a chef. So I cut, mise en place, cook and eat. As do my other classmates. Also, you get to understand the method more thoroughly as well as learn the techniques, hands on.

Regards!

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I'm probably naive, but what would a cooking class offer over watching FoodTV. I can see how it would help if you're making an actual dish, and have someone there overseeing you, but a lot of them are just watching someone cook, and explaining as they go as on FoodTV.

In my experience, the interchange with the instructor and the students is a major advantage. You can ask for clarification, about substitution of ingredients, or even ask "What was that again?". This is not possible while watching television. Visiting afterward, which is sometimes possible, is also a pleasant aspect of the class.

I've found the question-and-answer aspect of local classes to be extremely valuable. Additionally, in a class, the chef is more likely to be informal and chatty, which can result in the class receiving some pretty valuable information. On TV, chefs often have to be careful lest a sponsor be offended. And I think it's entirely possible that on TV shows, certain ingredients might be used, although the chef would prefer another form (say fresh tomatoes versus canned), but one of the network's sponsors makes the product (the canned tomatoes in this example) and the network is trying to please the sponsor. It's possible the same kind of influence could arise in a local class, but I think it's much less likely.

A demonstration class at the local Williams-Sonoma is $40, and it's two hours. The chef has been trained at one of the major cooking schools and she's quite knowledgeable. Another local woman gives classes, and they tend to be $60 for one evening. I haven't taken any of them, but I would guess they're a demonstration class also. Students may be helping with chopping, etc.

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jgm hit the nail on the head. At this point in my cooking life, there is not really much to learn from the demo-type classes available at my local kitchen shop, (for $35-50) but the interaction with the restaurant chefs (usually local) is very interesting and informative, and the whole reason I attend as often as I can. They offer restaurant tips and inside info that is really a lot of fun. Occasionally, I get to Central Market in Houston where they have nationally known chefs, authors, etc.

Their classes are more expensive - usually$65-80.

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