My Pandemic Addiction: Virtual Cooking Classes
Over the past year, I’ve developed an addiction: online cooking classes. Mostly live (I find the prerecorded ones don’t satisfy the need for community), often from chefs based in New York, and usually alongside an old friend. And always with my daughter, Stella, who is my perpetual sous-chef and kitchen companion. I’ve enrolled in at least one month, and I can’t stop.
Whether signing up as part of a date night or as a way to interact with faraway loved ones, a good virtual cooking class can provide a fun night of learning new recipes, skills or other culinary information. If you get some friends and family to join along, it will feel almost like the old days. Here are a few options to consider:
Kitchen Rodeo
(multiple donation options per event, plus 5 free tickets per event so those unable to donate can still join)
Tortilla Española, taught by Jonah Miller
My first class, taught via Zoom by Jonah Miller, chef/owner of Huertas, was my overall favorite. During past New York trips, I've enjoyed some excellent meals at Huertas, a Spanish restaurant in Manhattan’s East Village. I was excited to see Chef Miller listed in Kitchen Rodeo’s catalog.
The technique for making Tortilla Española, a sort of Spanish omelette, is a little tricky. We watched carefully as Miller demonstrated a practiced flip of the tortilla in order to properly cook both sides. He also gave a brief history of the dish, thoroughly explained each step, and was an encouraging and enthusiastic teacher, patiently answering all questions. As the class came to a close, Miller asked his students to share their finish products. My own tortilla española looked pretty good for a first try–and tasted delicious.
100% of the proceeds from Kitchen Rodeo go towards a cause of the host’s choice—this might be a Gofundme to support their restaurant employees or a larger charity organization such as City Harvest. In this case, they went to Huertas Employees impacted by the pandemic.
Goldbelly
https://www.goldbelly.com/goldbelly-live
$200 (other classes vary from $85 to $289)
Valentine’s Day “Cook-Along” with Emmy Squared and Magnolia Bakery
Goldbelly, a for-profit company, connects popular restaurants and chefs to consumers, helping them sell their products all over the country. Until recently, I’d only ordered meals from them, including a Bucket o’ Balls from The Meatball Shop, the New York Brunch from Russ and Daughters, and the Boozy Ice Cream Cocktail Party Kit from Tipsy Scoop.
Curious about their live classes, I signed up for a Valentine’s Day “Cook-Along” with Emmy Squared and Magnolia Bakery. It was a disaster. The pizza instruction was rushed and yielded a very small pizza, more of a snack than a meal. While the pizza was in the oven, we hurriedly moved on to the dessert, Magnolia’s famous banana pudding. As I was whipping cream, our instructor announced that, of course, the dessert would not be ready for about twelve hours. Admittedly, I’m a novice at pudding-making. But one look at the class’s online chat revealed that I wasn’t the only one assuming we would be eating it that night, as part of Valentine’s Dinner. The next morning’s breakfast? Yes, lattes and banana pudding.
I’m optimistically signed up for an upcoming Dumpling Making Kit and Live Cooking Class, taught by Mimi Cheng. I’ll keep my fingers crossed and hope for a more enjoyable time.
Assorted Table and Orrman’s Cheese Shop
$65-$100 for 2 tickets
Love this local option: a virtual wine and cheese pairing seminar. The tasting event, held every other Wednesday at 6 pm, includes Josh Villapando, owner of Assorted Table Wine Shoppe, and Rachel Klebaur, owner of Orrman’s Cheese Shop. Both businesses are located in uptown Charlotte’s 7th Street Public Market. https://7thstreetpublicmarket.com Tickets include wine and cheese to be picked up from the market before the class’s live stream (delivery options are also available).
The March 10th class was MC’d by Brion Chephus, aka “The Certified Wino,” who kept the class’s pace and conversation light and fun. My husband and I chose the $100 dollar ticket option which included 4 bottles of wine and 4 different cheeses. I’m crowning this class officially the Queen of the Best Deal.
NYWFF at Home
$20-25 per class
https://corporate.nycwineandfoodfestival.com/event-type/virtual
The pandemic forced the annual New York Wine and Food Festival to take much of the event online. It offered a large selection of virtual classes, called NYCWFF at Home, with sessions, mainly classes, featuring food celebrities and chefs a few times a week. Participants, up to 300 per session, join via Zoom and usually were offered a 15-minute question and answer session at the end. My daughter and I took the following two classes over the spring and summer.
Sheet Pan Snapper, taught by Josh and Amanda Capon
The father/daughter duo of Josh and Amanda Capon are full of energy, big personalities, and practical advice. The dinner was a pandemic favorite, the sheet-pan supper, one that’s easy for weeknight dinner clean-up. Chef Josh Capon, whose restaurants include Bowery Meat Company and Lure Fishbar, has a library of lockdown meals he prepared in his home kitchen with Amanda. Just short clips but free and fun to watch: https://www.joshcapon.com/cooking-with-the-capons.php
Eggplant Rolls with Proscuitto and Cheese, taught by Gabrielle Corcos and Debi Mazar
I am such a fan of this couple. It was delightful to take the class, and feel as though we were all hanging out in their kitchen on a Sunday afternoon. Corcos and Mazar were as charismatic as they are on their Cooking Channel show Extra Virgin, their rapport was very cute and seemed authentic. We slowly went through the method of rolling the ingredients into tightly packed rolls of eggplant, ham and cheese. The result was bellissimo!
All proceeds went to the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Employee Relief Fund and other hunger-relief organizations.
And some other options to try, (a couple of them local):
Chef Alyssa’s Kitchen
$15 (pre-recorded)
https://chefalyssaskitchen.com/virtual-cooking-classes/
Kudos to Southend Charlotte business Chef Alyssa's Kitchen! They were recently recommended by Food & Wine Magazine as one of the top online cooking classes to take during the quarantine. Most courses are led by Chef Alyssa Wilen unless otherwise noted. Choose from their library of 22 classes, which includes plenty of kids’ cooking options.
Resy
$50
I need to find the time to indulge in one of these options. There’s some pretty serious talent, and classes are booking up quickly. I’m eyeing the French Mother Sauce session with Chef Daniiel Bouloud.
Sur La Table
$29 and up
https://www.surlatable.com/cooking-classes/online-cooking-classes/
Sur La Table might have the most organized set-up, with downloaded prep packets and a calendar view of upcoming events. I’ve enjoyed several of their in-house classes over the years, and this is on my shortlist of options to try soon.