Are you a teen looking to discover your cooking skills and gain confidence in the kitchen? Join us for this exciting 4-session cooking course specifically designed for young cooks! Whether you’re a complete beginner or simply want to sharpen your skills, this class will help you prepare simple, delicious meals that you can share with family and friends.
In a fun and supportive environment, we’ll cover essential cooking techniques and kitchen safety. Each session will focus on a specific culinary technique, where you will receive the basics, a clear demonstration, and ample time for hands-on practice. You'll create and enjoy your lunch each day with cooks your own age. Explore everything from chopping and sautéing to seasoning and grilling. We’ll encourage creativity and answer all your questions, helping you learn from both successes and mistakes.
By the end of the course, you'll have a solid foundation of culinary skills and the confidence to experiment in the kitchen and prepare tasty meals on your own. Let’s get cooking!
What will we COOK?
Each session focuses on a singular cooking technique and incorporates some other basics. Our menu (subject to change based on student interest) is as follows. Vegetarian alternatives are available for each session. Note dietary restrictions and preferences when you register.
Session 1: Roasting and Seasoning
Roast Chicken (or Sunchokes) with Pan Sauce Gravy
Roast Vegetables
Rosemary Crusted Potatoes
Session 2: Braising and Sautéeing
Chicken (or White Bean) Piccata
Braised Mushrooms (and Cod) in Ginger Miso Broth
Garlicky Greens
Session 3: Cooking Grains and Pasta Dishes
Asparagus Risotto
Fried Rice
Pasta alla Amatriciana or Puttanesca or Cacio e Pepe
Session 4: Grilling
Balsamic Marinated Vegetables
Chipotle Garlic Lime Chicken
Cheeseburgers or Spice Rubbed Pork Chops
Muhammara (smokey red pepper & walnut sauce) or Fire Roasted Salsa
Concepts that will be covered:
Roasting
Braising
Sautéeing
Seasoning
Flavor Development
Cooking Grains
Pan Sauces, Spreads and Vinaigrettes
Menu planning
Improvisational cooking
Shopping for ingredients
Choosing the proper tools & equipment
Seasonality of ingredients
Time Management
Kitchen safety and sanitation
Knife skills
What is culinary confidence?
Culinary Confidence is:
Teaching Table’s 4-session Series focused on Culinary Basics and Simple meals
The mindset you will develop from participating in Teaching Table’s Culinary Confidence series;
The ability to cook a meal without hesitation or fear;
The belief that you are capable of feeding yourself and others.
What will i achieve in this course?
By the end of this course you will:
Create at least 4 nourishing delicious meals from scratch.
Practice 8 basic cooking techniques.
Choose the proper tools and kitchen equipment for the job.
Apply the concepts you learned to a wide variety of ingredients and recipes.
Increase your confidence as a cook.
Build a community with other beginners.
Don’t see what you want to learn here?
Tell us. We might be able to incorporate it. Or it might already be a part of the course and not listed here.
Check out our other classes. Once you gain the confidence in this safe space for beginners, you’ll be ready and eager to take our other classes.
Set up private one-on-one or small group lessons with Chef Laura to tailor instruction to your exact goals.
Check out our Learn to Cook Eggs and Beginner Knife Skills classes to enhance your experience.
A baking basics course is coming soon. Let us know if you are interested and we will save you a spot.
For Teens ages 14+
mature 13-year-olds could be admitted on a case-by-case basis
What You Get at our in-person Youth Workshops:
all materials and ingredients
new apron to wear for class and to keep at the end
clear demonstrations and hands-on cooking
small intimate groups and personalized instruction
a sampling of what you made and a complete LUNCH (salad, protein, and bread in addition to your pasta dishes)
recipes to take home
access to an experienced chef who will answer your cooking questions
Teaching Table prioritizes sourcing ingredients that are local, seasonal, sustainable, and organic whenever possible.
We serve water and tea/iced tea to drink. You may bring your own beverages if you choose.
What our Students say about Teaching Table’s Cooking Classes:
We have a 5-star rating on Google (50+ reviews)
98% of survey respondents say they would “recommend a Teaching Table class to friends or family”
“It was terrific! My kid loved the lamb chops!! He loved the potatoes, and he LIKED the pasta bolognese (which was amazing!!). The banana bread is delicious!!
Thank you so much! It’s the best meal (s) I’ve ever made and it was such fun...a real stress reliever given the reality of the day. ”
“These classes have changed my entire experience of cooking. I am confident substituting ingredients and trying new things because of Laura. Each class teaches you how to use what you have, make it ahead, what you can save for later, etc., not just how to make that dish. I’m so excited to keep taking classes and learning new things.”
“Chef Laura was a great teacher- knowledgeable, well organized, and enthusiastic. We left her class feeling more confident in our cooking, and now have new meals to add to our repertoire!”
Can I just drop in for one or two sessions?
We recommend taking the entire course because we are building a community of confident cooks and the content builds from session to session. However, you can drop in for a single or a few of the 4 sessions.
“Chef Laura is wonderful! You can tell she has a background as a teacher as she is excellent at explaining all of the steps and what goes into a dish. She has helped me become a confident cook and I am able to throw meals together using what I have on hand. I cannot recommend her classes enough!”
