16 Austin Cooking Classes to Spice Up Your Kitchen

It's back-to-school season, but not just for the kiddos. Educate yourself with some of the many cooking classes this foodie city offers. Whether you're looking for a demo, a hands-on experience, or just trying to learn some kitchen basics, these classes have you covered. So dust off that apron Granny gave you as a graduation present and get cooking.

Wheatsville

www.wheatsville.coop

ATX Vegans has partnered with Wheats­ville Co-op to bring free cooking demos to the masses. The classes aren't hands-on, but local chefs spend about two hours walking you through several dishes and then start passing out samples!

Foodie Kids

www.foodie-kids.com

It's time to put those kids to work! Sign up your pint-sized future culinary artisan for one of the camps or classes Foodie Kids offers. Many occur on a weekly basis, so those kitchen basics can get cemented early. There are also holiday camps and workshops for shorter-term educational forays.

Central Market

www.centralmarket.turnstilesystems.com

From taco techniques to Mediterranean mezzos, the Central Market Cooking School on North Lamar can sharpen your culinary prowess whether you're looking for a hands-on class or a stand-back-and-observe cooking demo.

Con' Olio

www.conolios.com/classes

You'd expect there to be olive oil 101 classes out the wazoo at this boutique, but they also host paella classes with local restaurant Paellas, Tapas & More a few times a month. Come hungry for this interactive class.

Sur la Table

www.surlatable.com

If Italian is on the menu, learn how to do it right at this store/teaching kitchen. Pizza, steak, ravioli – you name it – they'll teach you how to cook it. French, Asian, comfort food: They do that, too (and they do it multiple times a day).

East Austin Culinary Studio

www.eastaustinculinarystudio.com

Want to know how to pickle and can all of that summer produce? Or cook something besides butter pasta for your picky eaters? This studio offers a changing assortment of classes to keep it fresh in the kitchen.

The Naked Bite

www.thenakedbite.com

Think of these private group classes or personalized cooking parties as a cross between a dinner party and a cooking show. Choose which dishes you want to make with instruction from plant-forward the Naked Bite and they'll make it happen at your home or venue.

Uroko

www.exploretock.com/uroko

Every week, this new East Austin restaurant turns into a classroom. And it's all about sushi. Learn how to roll your own with chefs Masazumi Saio and Takehiro Asa­zu and then treat yourself to some hot sake while you enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Thai Fresh

www.thai-fresh.com/cookingclass

For quite some time, Jam Sanitchat, owner of Thai Fresh, has offered cooking classes to introduce home chefs to the delights of re-creating their favorite Thai dishes. Classes are small, hands-on, and involve several of Jam's faves. There are even classes that focus just on vegetarian dishes.

Faraday's Kitchen Store

www.faradayskitchenstore.com

French feasts, Texas barbecue, Chinese classics: It's seriously all on the schedule at this kitchen store/cooking school in Bee Cave. Some classes are hands-on, some more demo-style, but you're certain to learn something you can put to use.

Kitchen Underground

www.kitchenunderground.com

Want to really impress your date? Book a date night cooking class at this swanky kitchen. You can get down and dirty with pasta making, fermenting, or even just learn how to use a knife – stuff you should definitely know.

Make It Sweet

www.makeitsweet.com

If you have a serious sweet tooth, this is the cooking class for you. Whether you want to up your candy-making ante, learn how to perfect those tricky buttercream flowers, or whip up kolaches – that quintessential Texas staple – this is the place to be.

Sustainable Food Center Happy Kitchen/La Cocina Alegre

www.sustainablefoodcenter.org

Get yourself some fundamental cooking skills and learn a few global recipes while you're at it. Opt for a public or private group cooking class and feel good about either one, because proceeds fund classes for local communities facing health disparities.

Silver Whisk

www.silverwhiskcooking.com

Sushi! Bread! Pasta! Learn how to cook it all! And learn how to do it in style at this studio in – you guessed it – East Austin. Or have the chefs come to you for an ultimate dinner party.

Quality Seafood

www.squareup.com/store/quality-seafood-inc

It's more than a seafood market, it's an educational kitchen, too. So if you love all things seafood, sign up for classes that will instruct you in the art of paella, oysters, even filleting a fish. There are probably (definitely) drinks involved.

Schools

If you're really serious about improving your culinary chops, consider enrolling at one of Austin's culinary schools. It's a foodie city, so there are plenty to choose from. Austin Community College, Escoffier, and the Art Institute of Austin are just a few places you can get a degree in impressing your partner with rad new knife skills.