14 Tips for Booking International Cooking Classes
I’ve done cooking classes all over the globe, from Argentina to Italy, Indonesia to Scotland, anywhere from afternoon activities to six-week certificate courses. If there is one thing I love to do when traveling, it’s a cooking class. Whether I’m specifically traveling to take a course or it’s simply a part of my itinerary, you will find me in a kitchen at some point during most of my trips.
Since I want everyone to experience the joy of cooking while traveling I’ve put together this list of things to look out for, questions to ask, or things to be conscious of, in advance of choosing a course.
Make Sure You’re Actually Cooking… Soon and Often
This one probably looks like a typo, sadly it’s not. Before you book anything, reach out and confirm when you will start cooking, how often you can expect to be in the kitchen (actively), and the level at which your food is created by you (aka you’re not just rolling dough and it’s baked and finished by someone else).
I’ve attended classes where it’s mostly hands-off and then others where you’re cooking on day one. Know your expectations and make sure they match the school’s.
Note: this tip is mainly for longer courses where you are there to be in the kitchen. If you’re merely signing up for an “experience” this tip likely doesn’t pertain to you.
Is there a Designated Space For You?
I don’t simply mean, is there a seat at the table. It’s, do you have a designated table/bench? Because you should. Whether it’s an afternoon or a weeks-long course, you should have a designated worktop complete with space for you to mix, chop, and whisk to your heart's content, in addition to a stove and oven. The base level you’re looking for here is to have intentional time at each station so that even if you have to share a cooktop, you’re rotating your duties so everyone is getting equal access to all facets of the baking/cooking process. Ideally, you have your own bench, oven, and burner(s) in the kitchen.
Check Your Class Sizes
This is probably one of the ones that is often overlooked or not thought about, but can completely change the environment of your class(es). Personally, 10 students to a class is the maximum, preferably no more than eight. Don’t underestimate the noise, disruption, and distraction level of too many people. You also don’t want to be fighting for visibility with the chef - both for them to view your activity and for you to be able to see theirs. It’s no good to miss a technique cause too many heads are in front of you or not get through recipes because people are holding up the timeline.
Understand the Kitchen Atmosphere
This is a multi-faceted point. Firstly, is this a leisure course or a professional course? I’m speaking mainly about the vibe, the owner and chef(s), hold in the kitchen. Leisure courses are going to be more relaxed, likely at a slower pace, and willing to adjust heavily based on the status of the customers taking it. Professional courses should have more structure, a firmer grasp on timelines and curriculums, keep students accountable for keeping pace, etc. You can absolutely be a professional taking a leisure course or a professional taking a professional course, it’s just going in with open eyes about the pace and those around you that the clarification on professional versus leisure is important.
The second piece of this tip speaks to the environment in which you are learning. I don’t think yelling and shaming belong in the kitchen. That’s not conducive to any type of learning I’ve achieved so far. To be clear, I’ve never been yelled at in a kitchen and I don’t plan to be (especially not in one that I’m paying to be in). That being said, it’s good to understand before signing up how instruction and feedback is given.
Know the Difference Between an Experience and Hands-On Classes
The key here is: are you going to simply taste and better understand some of the history and culture behind these dishes? Or, are you going to learn first-hand techniques and applications and take away a skill, however large or small? Know what you’re looking for ahead of booking.
Find Out Who Your Chefs Are (and their Substitutes)
Don’t be taught by clowns, ok? Remember that you are paying for someone with experience to teach you something new. That doesn’t mean that every leisure course needs a professional chef tied to it but if you’re learning a local dish, a local who has cooked it often and knows more than just how to brown meat, should be teaching it.
This tip is essential if you are booking any level of a professional course. To clarify, if this isn’t just an afternoon in your holiday, it’s more in the realm of a professional course. You are spending the money to be taught by a professional, so understand their expertise and make sure it fits within your expectations. As a second, and very important add, make sure you understand who the substitutes will be if your lead chef(s) is out. Life happens, but the owner should have professionally qualified backups on the bench when it does. Again, you’re paying for a certain level of expertise - make sure you get it.
Confirm the Curriculum
Stick to your ticket, Harry. Sad but true but If you go in blind, you likely will miss out on what you should have covered. It’s easy for things to not be covered when there isn’t a curriculum holding them accountable. There should be a dedicated and shared curriculum on a professional course that breaks down your weekly activities and what you should be covering. This acts to hold the school accountable as well as the students and gives you a clear outline of expectation ahead of booking the course.
Know How and When Recipes are Shared
I prefer courses where recipes are shared in advance where I can take notes without having to write down every gram, cup, etc. alongside a list of ingredients. This allows you to have the ability to focus more on what the chef is doing and jot down the bonus tips and tricks they perform or speak to.
That being said, I have done courses where you are verbally told the recipes and expected to write them down. This is fine, but it makes it trickier post-course in case you can’t read a note or missed an element of the recipe.
What are the Expectations of Students
What time should you be dressed and in the kitchen? Is there an attendance policy? Will there be opportunities to catch up if you fall behind or miss a day? You don’t want to get into a situation where you’re going to be penalized without realizing it. You also want to know the rules so you better understand the environment you’re walking into. Rules should exist and be enforced out of respect for all participants, if too many exceptions are made it will hold you back, which can be especially frustrating when you’re keeping pace.
Also, ask what tasks are expected outside of cooking. Will you be helping tend the garden? Are there daily kitchen duties expected? Do you have to handwash all of your own dishes? These will affect your time in the kitchen, so know before you book.
Check What is Provided to Participants/Students
If it’s a leisure course, do they provide transportation from your stay to/from the activity? If it’s a professional course, do they provide a chef's kit? Understand what you will need to provide versus what the school gives you to make sure that you are getting the most out of the course while also showing up prepared.
Know Your Wardrobe Expectations
Professional courses are likely to have requirements around clothing. Oftentimes this is to set you up for a more professional atmosphere that can, if you want it to, ease you into a working environment post-course. From my experience, at minimum, it’s wearing black trousers and a chef's jacket. A question you should be asking in advance is, is the required clothing provided or do you need to purchase and pack it?
Connect with Past Students Ahead of Booking
This is where the beauty of social media comes into play but it’s gonna take some searching and it may not always yield replies. Reviews are great but being able to talk to someone who has taken the course and can speak to the vibe and activity day over day, week over week, is where you’re going to truly understand how class(es) will be run. People often tag the school/course through location, profile, and/or hashtags on their social posts so put on your detective hat and get to DMing.
Understand Location Relative to Your Needs
A lot of this comes after finding out what the school provides students. If they cover accommodations and food, what are things you want to do before/after class, and how will you get there? Will you need to rent a car or is there local transportation available? If the cost just covers the class and everything else - food, transport, hotel, etc. - is on you, understand where the school is relative to where you want to stay and that there is reliable transportation to get you to and from.
Ask About Housing Recommendations
Unless you’ve been to the area before, use the school as a resource for the local area. Reach out to them about the best areas to stay in, recommended routes to get to/from school, and any tips or things to look out for when booking. To be honest, I wish a lot of schools provided a more robust packet for non-local students especially if you’re staying for a length of time, than I’ve often come across. At a bare minimum, neighborhood suggestions are really helpful. It’s nearly impossible to tell how long 15 miles takes until you get there and you don’t want to have to wake up at the buttcrack of dawn to make it to class on time.
Cooking is one of the best ways to get to know a culture, so I highly recommend taking every opportunity to fully immerse yourself in the local cuisine. These classes are not only a great way to learn new techniques and flavors but meet people from around the world (and even learn their approach to certain dishes). Keep your mind and tastebuds open and these will be some of your best travel memories, I guarantee it.
I would love to know your favorite cooking classes or tips for booking. Tag @accentgolden on social with any suggestions or tricks so we can learn together!
Tag @accentgolden in your cooking course photos, I’d love to see how you get on!
