There are many reasons we travel… we travel to see new places, to learn about other cultures, to meet new people, to see history come to life, and even to taste new foods and one of my favorite ways to to hit all of those reasons in a single activity is by booking a cooking class. Booking a cooking class can offer a unique experience that goes beyond the typical tourist activities allowing you to engage all of your senses at once.
Here are 5 reasons why you should book a cooking class during your next adventure:
1. Taste the Authentic Flavors
One of my favorite benefits of taking a cooking class while traveling is the chance to taste authentic flavors. When you book a class, you’re paired up with a local chef who understands how to cook traditional dishes using local ingredients and techniques. After taking a cooking class in a new country, I’ve often found myself reflecting on the dishes we made and realizing that they were among the best I had on the entire trip! Want to make it even more authentic? Find a cooking class that starts at a local market to shop for the ingredients you’ll use to cook the dishes!
2. Gain Insight into Local Culture
Food is an integral part of any culture as it often reflects that culture’s history and traditions. By joining a cooking class, you’ll gain valuable insight into more of the local way of life and have the opportunity to interact with local chefs who know a thing or two about food. I always treat a cooking classes like a tour – where would the chef recommend for dinner? What are the restaurants he/she takes friends and family to when they visit? It’s one of the best opportunities to learn about how locals live (and eat!).
3. Learn Culinary Skills
Whether you’re a home cook or are just here to eat, taking a cooking class can build your culinary knowledge and skills. The best cooking classes will have a chef that’s leading the group and providing on the spot feedback as you work to build your meal. Experienced chefs often share insider tips and techniques such as how to hold your knife, the best way to chop an onion, and can even explain how much salt is enough salt for a dish. I’ve carried at least one cooking tip with me after every cooking class I’ve booked and can often be found trying to replicate the dishes as soon as I’m back home.
4. Make New Friends
I enjoy solo travel but will admit that it can be lonely at times and one of the best things I can recommend for any solo traveler is to book activities like a cooking class that allows you to meet people. On a solo trip to Barcelona, I booked a cooking class as a way to meet people and left with plans to meet up with two new friends later that day to visit the Picasso Museum. Whether you’re traveling solo or with a friend/significant other, a cooking class provides a fun way to connect with others while sharing a meal that you made together.
5. Support the Local Economy
When you book a cooking class, you’re not only benefitting your stomach, you’re also supporting the local community. Many cooking classes are led by local chefs who take pride in their work and expertise and who often prioritize other small-scale food producers in the process. By participating in a local cooking class, you’re helping to support local economies and share cultural traditions, which is something we all benefit from together.
Final Thoughts: Booking a cooking class while traveling will not only please your stomach, it will also benefit you and the local community on a deeper level that will stay with you for years to come…and may even leave you craving more!
Curious about some of the cooking classes I’ve booked? Check out a few of them linked below:
- Barcelona, Spain: Market Visit & Paella Cooking Workshop with BCN Kitchen or similar La Boqueria Market and Cooking Class
- Lima, Peru: Peruvian Classes – 4 Course Meal with SkyKitchen
ALI IN OZ 