The COVID-19 pandemic has turned many industries upside down. Among those affected, restaurants and the food industry were experiencing upheavals that few could have predicted. However, companies have adapted and instead of customers coming to them, they came to customers. The result: an increase in virtual cooking classes.
It’s one thing to read a recipe online and rely on photos and text to walk you through the steps. Having a recorded video or hands-on virtual class showing you how to cook a dish is a whole different experience. We’ll walk you through the different types of virtual cooking classes, what to expect, and what options to choose from online.
Types of virtual cooking classes
The online cooking classes that you can find fall into three main categories. Each type has its advantages, depending on your individual needs, goals and time constraints.
Recorded cooking classes
These types of courses are aimed at families who travel a lot, or couples and individuals with busy schedules. The beauty of recorded classes? You can watch them in your spare time, whether after picking up the kids from school or early Saturday morning.
Recorded videos became increasingly popular long before COVID-19. You are probably familiar with the snippet cooking videos you see on Facebook that give you step-by-step instructions through an overhead camera. Usually paired with music, the videos are visually appealing and encourage spontaneity to try the dish you see that day.
Recorded virtual cooking classes are much more sophisticated. In fact, many of the tutorials offer unmatched expertise from a celebrity or an award-winning chef. These chefs are often too busy to attend cooking demonstrations. Hence, filming a number of recorded courses gives both parties more flexibility. You also have access to the videos at any time.
Live cooking classes
These cooking classes are more personal than a pre-recorded guide to preparing a particular dish. Live virtual cooking classes can vary from one-to-one tuition to large group settings.
With the advent of COVID-19, many live cooking demos started on Zoom, but they have branched out to just about every type of video platform. Chefs and cooking bloggers host planned or impromptu cooking classes on Instagram, a platform where followers can interact with the host in an informal setting. Planned courses are usually chargeable. In return, you can ask questions and share stories in a more intimate setting. Live virtual cooking classes are a popular choice for couples celebrating a romantic evening and have become trendy gift ideas for birthdays, anniversaries, or dates.
Virtual cooking classes with ingredients supplied
Think of this category as a combination of a live cooking class and a food delivery service. Pre-portioned dinner kits grow from year to year. Chefs and chefs took this idea and added it to the virtual classroom by allowing customers to purchase ingredients from them to prepare the dish.
Dinner kits work well for people who don’t have time to go to four different grocery stores to find ingredients for a dish. This model is often best suited for typical dishes from local restaurants. For example, an Indian restaurant might deliver hard-to-find condiments to your doorstep.
Benefits of Online Cooking Classes
Despite all of the downsides of personal eating and the inability to eat in social settings during the COVID-19, the industry has used virtual cooking classes to open up a new dimension in food exploration.
For starters, virtual cooking classes became the perfect break for people looking to break up the monotony of quarantine. More free time meant more time to discover food trends.
In addition, virtual cooking classes offer a different experience than face-to-face events. Sure, you lose the hands-on coaching of a cooking class and no, your teacher lacks the ability to try your food or correct a mistake. But it enables freedom, flexibility and comfort. You know your own kitchen better than anyone.
It’s also easier for the hosts who don’t need to buy ingredients or rent a space. With virtual classes, you pay for a chef’s intimate knowledge. And as mentioned earlier, many classes are recorded and archived for future use so you can keep perfecting your recipe.
The beauty of virtual learning is the unlimited possibilities, from cooking 101 to advanced baking courses. You can learn how to filleted a whole fish, cook an 18-hour smoked brisket, or a simple loaf of bread. The fact that it’s online and virtual makes it possible to explore even more kitchens and food styles. For example, there may not be many stationary locations that offer vegan cooking classes, but you can find these on the internet. There are even wine and cocktail classes for those with different preferences.
Online cooking classes to try out
One of the great things about online cooking classes is the abundance of options. Just put your food interests in Google and there is a high chance you will find a cooking class for you. Here are some of the most popular options to try.
On the table
Sur La Table is an upscale cook and food supplier with stationary locations across the country. In Oklahoma City, the company has a store in Classen Curve. Sur La Table offers in-store cooking classes as well as online cooking classes.
The handy interactive zoom class options start at $ 29. Your expert instructor will guide you through recipes of your choice, including Thai, Indian, Italian, Chinese, and French cuisine.
Airbnb experiences
During the pandemic, Airbnb created “online experiences” that customers can use to recreate travel memories within their own four walls.
For example, you could take a virtual trip to a small town in Italy by buying a class from Nonna (grandmother in Italian). For $ 42, you’ll get a grocery list, wine pairings, and an interactive lesson on making various pastas and sauces. You also have the option to virtually cook with a Moroccan family for $ 14 or learn how to make macaroons in Paris from a pastry chef for $ 21.
Udemy
Udemy is an online learning and teaching marketplace that ranges from pet training to cooking guides. The cooking classes are recorded and can be sorted according to different categories and filters.
Some courses include artisanal bread-making, how to brew beer at home, and how to master the art of Indian cuisine. Prices range from $ 13 to over $ 100 for one-week courses.
Master class
Much like Udemy, MasterClass is an online learning center for a variety of industries and professions, including cooking. As the name suggests, there are chefs in the classes who are masters of their trade. The list of chefs includes Gordan Ramsey, Thomas Keller, Massimo Bottura, and Wolfgang Puck.
These recorded videos are aimed at foodies looking to reach new culinary heights, whether they are improving certain kitchen skills or learning how to smoke an award-winning brisket. The courses are available through a monthly subscription of $ 15.
Cozymeal
Cozymeal offers many interactive courses for chefs of all skill levels, such as: B. how to build a sausage board or make a cheesecake. It’s not just limited to recipes, either.
There is a class on how to use plating techniques to create a visually stunning dish. Cozymeal even has a class that teaches you how to use certain fruits and vegetables to help boost your immunity.
Many of these courses start at $ 29 or $ 39 per device. For an additional fee, you also have the option to pay to have the ingredients shipped to your door. Tuition can reach $ 199 for weekly series, such as B. a three-week series on veganism in which you learn how to cook with quinoa, chickpeas and various vegetables.
America’s test kitchen
This popular TV show that tests recipes in a real kitchen has created an online information center for people who want to learn more about cooking. America’s Test Kitchen Cooking School falls under the previously recorded category, using a subscription-based model that gives you access to 320+ courses.
The platform shows you how, in addition to a wide variety of recipes, you can perfect certain methods. You can learn how to fry food, use spices in dishes, and make simple sauces. The online cooking school costs $ 20 per month or $ 180 per year.
Cuiline
This new competitor in the online cooking market has created an easy-to-use model where it supplies you with the ingredients. The process is simple and straightforward.
You choose a class from a searchable list of cuisines, culinary regions, or cooking styles. Cuiline will then send you pre-measured stock items on your shopping list. Then, the day before or the day before, you are responsible for fresh ingredients if the recipe calls for fruit, vegetables or a protein.
You can find more cooking tips and recipes on the On Your Health blog.
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