Julia Child once famously said, “No one is born a great cook, one learns by doing.”
Throughout Chicago, culinary educational sites are leaning into that wisdom, offering classes covering a range of food and drink recipes, and in the process, inviting participants to a shared space of curiosity and creativity. The benefits are numerous, be it an increased appreciation for ingredients and local growers or the joy that comes in landing and then sharing a recipe.
And now, witnessing a growing interest in culinary learning, educators are flexing their own creativity in class topics and themes. Take, for example, Eataly Chicago’s recently launched “Eataly & The Second City: Eat, Laugh, Love,” a class partnering with The Second City to celebrate the improvisational nuances of cooking.
“Like cooking, the improv process fosters creativity and connection, strengthening communication skills while having fun together — and this class highlights the similarities between the two practices,” says Audrius Moss, Eataly Chicago director of store operations.
Cheryl Knecht, who founded Schoolhouse Kitchen + Studio, has seen firsthand how far enthusiasm, an open mind and an appetite can take students.
“We all learn best through play — and cooking is the perfect mix of fun, creativity and hands-on discovery,” she says. “The kitchen classroom is a great space to exercise problem-solving skills and build confidence, and to have a really good time.”
From lessons in perfecting the steak or sushi roll to mastering the rising cake or soufflé, here are some of spring’s best cooking classes to book now.
Chicago Botanic Garden
When the Chicago Botanic Garden opened its Regenstein Learning Campus in 2016, it enabled the expansion of educational programming at the already lively and renowned horticulture hub. Among them are regular culinary classes for adults and cooking camps for kids, led by culinary professionals from the local community. Adult classes feature hands-on and demo-style instruction that range from preparation techniques to entire meals — e.g., Soufflés (April 23), Tea-Based Mocktails (April 24), and Springtime in Paris (May 2), a menu inspired by seasonal French cooking. For some classes, participants are invited to harvest herbs from the Grunsfeld Children’s Growing Garden, encountering firsthand the seed-to-plate process.
1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe; 847-835-6801; chicagobotanic.org
CocuSocial
Founded in 2016 by the belief that cooking should be fun, social and accessible, CocuSocial partners curious food lovers with chefs for classes at local venues. Options abound here, from the class topic — including pizza making, sushi making, French macaron baking, mixology and beyond — to the location, including five across Chicagoland (Lincoln Square, Wrigleyville, Hyde Park, Mount Prospect and Oakbrook Terrace). With a growing team, they debut new classes often — including ones this month on Asian dumplings in Wrigleyville (April 30) and, marking their expansion to the city’s South Side, handmade pasta in Hyde Park (April 25).
Multiple locations; cocusocial.com/cooking-classes/chicago
Eataly
Driven by a philosophy to bring Italian food culture to life through interactive experiences, Eataly Chicago partnered with The Second City for “Eataly & The Second City: Eat, Laugh, Love,” a class embracing the joy of improv in cooking. For an evening at Eataly Chicago’s La Scuola, guests enjoy improv exercises while crafting a one-of-a-kind pizza. The results? A delicious meal and a lot of laughs. Check out their next one on April 25, or any of their other classes — popular topics include tiramisu, filled pastas and from-scratch mozzarella.
43 E. Ohio St.; 312-521-8700; eataly.com/us_en/stores/chicago
Elawa Farm
This historic farm and nonprofit educational site is centered on experiential learning opportunities rooted in the local food system. Just one way they engage the community is through on-site classes, offered regularly and covering a range of topics. Chef Mickey Knutson guides participants through menus such as Market Vegetable Forward (April 14) and Elevated Pub Grub (May 12), each one welcoming students with a seasonal cocktail. As we approach warmer months, keep an eye on their Field to Fork classes — offered to adults and to kids in their summer camps. Instruction begins in the farm’s lush gardens and fields before participants create a dish with their harvest. While their Learning Kitchen is under renovation, they are hosting classes in their Café Kitchen (visitors can expect to see more cooking series and hands-on classes when the Learning Kitchen reopens mid-summer).
1401 Middlefork Drive, Lake Forest; 847-234-1966; elawafarm.org
The Joyful Gourmet
Kim and Dan Schlicksup long enjoyed cooking and hosting friends and family, and in 2021, recognizing the need of others to gather and connect, they opened The Joyful Gourmet. The team offers several classes per week, with a mix of hands-on and demonstration instruction across topics like steak, bread making, and cake baking and decorating. Upcoming classes promise to be varied and flavorful: Southern BBQ (April 14), Middle Eastern street food (April 16), and an Italian-inspired dinner party (April 21). Upon arrival, participants settle in with some wine and cheese before class begins — arrive early or linger longer to enjoy their shop too, featuring ample kitchen supplies for recreating your recipe at home (10% discount for class registrants).
542 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville; 224-433-6350; thejoyfulgourmet.com
Schoolhouse Kitchen + Studio
Inspired by time spent in the kitchen with her own kids, Cheryl Knecht opened Schoolhouse Kitchen + Studio, a cooking school for kids and families. Now with three locations (Wicker Park, Oak Park, Portage Park), Knecht and team regularly host a range of events and programs, from birthday parties and summer camps to weekend and afterschool classes. Some classes are built for kids (at Portage Park, Cook the Book: Too Many Carrots on April 18; Teen Night Out: Stir Fry Ramen on April 24), while others focus on the family (at Wicker Park, Japanese Family Dinner on April 18; Pasta Primavera and Carrot Cake on April 25). Expect a hands-on and encouraging experience from start to finish; new cooks most welcome.
Multiple locations; 708-581-8203; iloveschoolhouse.com
Tortello
Dario Monni dreamt of opening a pasta shop honoring his Italian heritage, and in 2019, he and his wife, Jill Gray, realized that vision with this Wicker Park restaurant and pastificio. Fresh, from-scratch pasta is the specialty here, and the team makes many of those regional secrets available to guests with their small-group classes. Offered Monday through Thursday, parties of four to six can book a spot in their street-facing “pasta window” to learn pasta essentials, from forming a volcano of dough to making four different pasta shapes. The team also just debuted DeSora, a second-floor space for private events and cooking classes for up to 40 guests. Keep an eye on their calendar for one-off classes, too, including one on Japanese noodles with Mike Satinover of Akahoshi (July 22) and one on pasta making with the mattarello, a long, handle-free rolling pin (fall 2026).
1746 W. Division St.; 773-360-1293; tortellopasta.com
Nicole Schnitzler is a freelance writer.
