So you weren’t born to cook—not everyone is that lucky.  If this sends your boyfriend running, he was probably wrong for you anyway.  A good man is patient and will wait for the vast improvement in your cooking after you take these classes.  They do not guarantee miracles but you’ll definitely extended your personal menu with some delightful additions. 

The Social Table

Rebecca Goldfarb’s mentality for culinary classes stemmed from the idea that cooking, as well as eating, should be a social experience.  Cooking should not seem like a job but a time to share, enjoy the people you know and love, and just have fun.  The Social Table is located in the Hell’s Kitchen section of Manhattan and offers both private and public classes, which tend to sell out fast.  There is currently a waiting list in place.

Miette Culinary Studio

You can use the Miette Culinary Studio classes to impress your boss or help unify the team your working with.  For private and corporate events Belgian chef Paul Vandewoude will help you customize a menu and give instruction on how to bring your ideas to life.  From Herb Crusted Shrimp with roasted garlic puree and chilies flakes to Basil Crepes with ginger ratatouille and balsamic glaze, the classically trained chef’s mission is to bring class to your menu.

Natural Gourmet Institute

Perhaps you’re just crossing over into the health food realm.  Maybe you’ve been a vegan for years and you're just looking for new items for your personal menu.  To compliment your ‘you are what you eat’ attitude, Natural Gourmet Institute offers methods in preparing health-supportive foods that assist in increasing energy, preventing disease, and supporting vegetarian/vegan lifestyles. 

Taste Buds Kitchen

Cooking should be an enjoyable experience for people of all ages, including your kids.  Taste Buds Kitchen is the only place in Manhattan designed to teach children as young as 2 years old what to do in the kitchen. They offer classes and host private events, but perhaps most impressive, they run camps during New York City private and public school breaks.  During the summer your child can be enrolled for a week here and there or for the entire summer.

NYC Wine Class

Some dinners just aren’t complete without wine.  Where better to learn about wine than a place founded by a man who has made wine in Hungary, France, and California.  Andrew Harwood has traveled the world and studied his craft at some of the best schools.  His classes teach individuals the reasons their palate favors one wine over another and how to communicate the impression wines leave with them.  Taking a class may birth a skill that begs you to continue to discover.