Local Cooking Classes for All Ages
My kitchen is one of the busiest rooms in our house. We love to cook.
And my husband and I enjoy passing down our food knowledge to our children. Learning how to cook is one of the skills we want our kids to have experience with.
While not a trained professional, I feel as though I have the basics down. Right now my kid’s minds are little sponges and they have to know what every kitchen tool does, and why are noodles hard and then soft.
It makes my heart melt knowing they care so much about what they are eating.
Wanting to know more myself, I started researching cooking classes, not only for children but for my husband and myself.
With Grand Rapids’ tradition of locally sourced produce and meats, diverse culinary heritages, and simple love for great food, it’s no surprise that West Michigan offers amazing adult and kids cooking classes.
Some cooking classes and baking classes are on hiatus right now. We’ve done our best to indicate those below but do check for the latest status info from time to time.
Virtual cooking classes are also being offered at this time.
If you’ve never looked into taking a cooking class in greater Grand Rapids before, you may be surprised at just how many different options there are – from edible flowers and tasty chocolates, from sausages to Thai and African, there is something for every taste and every age!
There are amazing options for you to pick from, whether you’re looking for a fun night out with your friends or something different for your kids to do on school vacation, or a one-time event.
Cooking classes also make an amazing present that affords someone an experience that will help them learn a great life skill.
Bon Appétit!
Greater Grand Rapids Cooking Classes
These local programs offer classes on a wide range of culinary traditions and techniques. Browse their course offerings to find the perfect idea for your next kid date, ladies’ night out, or date night!
1440 Wealthy St SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506
Private & Group Classes, by appointment
Adventurous foodies can snack on imported cheese, pesto, baguettes, and infused beverages while learning practical and advanced techniques.
Looking for something special to do for date night? Check out their unique “Class for Two” programs in non-pandemic times.
Details
Mary Free Bed YMCA – 5500 Burton St SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546
Group Classes, Register Online
Kids Cook classes are held at the Mary Free Bed YMCA.
Children ages 6 to 12 years will learn basic cooking skills while eating and cooking with fresh fruits and veggies.
Details
Kentwood Activities Center – 355 48th St SE, Kentwood, MI 49548
Small Group Classes, Call 616-656-5270 or Register Online
Kentwood’s cooking classes for kids ages 7-16 are designed to show children that cooking is fun!
The classes are offered as 3-part series that highlight specific kid-friendly themes.
Through hands-on instruction, kids will enjoy following recipes and using a variety of utensils and equipment to prepare and try delicious foods.
Adult (ages 16+) cooking workshops connect participants with professional chefs to cook and bake recipes from around the world. Details
1163 Fulton Street East, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Individual, Private Lessons
The Good Cookie Sweet Shop offers cookie baking and chocolate-making classes for your aspiring chef. They have customized classes for kids ages 6 – 12, focusing on kitchen skills, creativity, and fun.
Each class includes:
– One hour of one-on-one instruction with a Good Cookie chef
– 1 traditional cookie flavor, 1 type of chocolate, and 1 “Let’s get crazy” cookie flavor of baker’s choice
Your baker will come home with a dozen cookies, chocolates, and rad baking skills. $65/hour. Details
grand rapids, mi; 616-633-4218
Private Individual & Group Classes. Chef for Hire
Learn to cook or learn new recipes to add to your culinary repertoire. Gather a group of friends or just a few couples together to learn something new! Cooking classes can be tailored to your learning needs such as knife skills, braising meats, ethnic cooking styles, and farmers’ market cooking.
All classes occur in a host’s home, lasting 2 to 3 hours. The class fee is $45 per person plus the cost of food.
Or, hire All In One Chef to cook an elegant sit-down dinner, create a stunning hors d’oeuvre party, etc. Details
Apertivo – 435 Ionia Ave SW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
In-Person, Reservations Required
Offering a creative collection of themed events and classes in the wine & cheese realm. Details
grand rapids, mi – (616) 805-9232
Occasional Themed Classes
Stephanie, owner of Nibble + Nosh, occasionally hosts cheese and charcuterie board classes at locations in West Michigan.
Upcoming class details are on her website under Classes. Details
681-285-8313
In-Person & Virtual, Advance Registration
Our cooking class will highlight delicious African dishes: – Cameroonian whole grilled fish / chicken thighs, fried plantains – Puff Puff.
Come away with us on this exciting journey to the motherland.
$125 – $300 in-person, $46 virtual. Details
10 East Bridge St NE, Rockford, MI 49341
In-Person, Advance Registration
Chef Shaun has been hard at work creating delicious menus, packed full of simple strategies you can use to recreate these meals at home.
Each month is a different theme: Italian, German, Thai and more.
Classes are for beginners as well as experienced cooks. $75. Details
24 East 8th Street, Holland, Michigan 49423
Group Classes, Reservations Required
Interactive, small-group teaching ensures you’ll get the most out of your time. Learn to mix and match for fantastic flavor pairings according to your own preferences, and your taste buds will be rewarded. Details
woodland mall – 3195 28th St SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49512 (many events are virtual)
Virtual Group Classes & Private In-Store Events
Register for a variety of classes all of which sound absolutely amazing. Williams Sonoma Baking School is a virtual cooking class series that is all about baking. Enjoy a live demonstration and q+a, plus receive copies of the recipes. Choose from sessions for kids or adults.
Or, RSVP to a “Store is Yours” event where you’ll have the store to yourself for a VIP experience with William Sonoma experts, including private tours and demos. Details
1106 Wealthy St. SE, Grand Rapids MI 49506
Hands-On
Are you a meat lover? Join this locally sourced, whole-animal butcher shop to learn things you can’t learn anywhere else, like:
– How to Butcher a Pig
– Sausage Making Class
– Grilling & Smoking Class
– Canning & Preserving
Details
242 W. Western Ave., Muskegon, MI 49440
On Hiatus
From French cuisine to kids’ cupcakes, this unique commercial kitchen has made it its mission to provide a space for the community to create and learn about all things related to food. Details
143 Bostwick Avenue NE, Grand Rapids MI 49503-3295
On Hiatus
Savor the world-class facilities and well-seasoned instructors of Grand Rapids Community College’s Secchia Institute for Culinary Education.
Learn the fundamentals of knife skills, soups, sauces, sushi, or vegan cooking, and become familiar with world culinary traditions like those of Thailand, South America, Vietnam, and Africa. Details
5080 Alpine Ave NW, Comstock Park, MI 49321
On Hiatus
Fingers crossed that Chef Jenna will be able to revive her amazing free, drop-in style Italian cooking classes. Great for beginners through intermediate chefs, Jenna covers a new theme or recipe every class. The bar is open during classes if you’d like to grab a drink! Sign up for their newsletter to get class status updates or follow them on Facebook. Details
Kids Cook Real Food Virtual Cooking Class Program
We are affiliates of Kids Cook Real Food because we love this program!
Looking for a robust online cooking class for your kids? I have a great option for you: the Kids Cook Real Food program.
This program is great for all families, but it would also be a great unit of study for homeschool families.
Local West Michigan mom Katie Kimball started Kids Cook Real Food in 2016 when she realized that her kids were more likely to eat the food they helped prepare.
Over the years, Katie has built an empire around teaching cooking, including 8 real food cookbooks (in addition to her video-based, go-at-your-own-pace, hands-on, multi-level kids cooking curriculum.
I personally learned knife skills as an adult while my 8-year-old was completing Katie’s Intro to Sharp Knives knife skills unit. (Learn more about course structure on the curriculum map.)
Toddlers to teens can use this online teaching course. You are all going to learn so much from Katie and come away empowered.
Cooking Classes Calendar
Upcoming calendar of area baking classes and cooking classes:
Hi there – wanted to let you know that Cookie Chicks/Cooking Connection has been offering classes and cooking parties in our fully licensed space here in Comstock Park, for years! We host many baking birthday parties, Ladies Night Out events, Freezer Meal Prep classes, Couples Nights, “Nailed it!” themed competitions….and work with clients to develop new ideas and themes all the time! As we have a number of Special Needs workers here, we have adapted our space to ensure safe operation for them and as such, we host cooking classes regularly for the Special Needs community.Would love to have a mention of these efforts and programs in your next update on local Cooking Classes for All Ages! We invite you to stop by, perhaps with a couple of budding chefs to give a class a try- on us!