New Orleans School of Cooking

Talk about Awesomeness! Went here on Sunday morning for the cooking demo with Harriet. She was just lovely and she made me and my family feel so welcome! Why? Because we are traveling with my 1 year old and 5 year old, she addressed me in front of the whole class before we began and said that having the baby in the demo did not bother her at all and mentioned she was a mother of 5! In a time where mom shaming is real, and the looks of «oh no not a baby in class» that people without children gave us walking in she put the whole room at ease. Harriet made the room laugh and kept us so entertained with her stories. The food was delicious and we had 5 courses if you count the biscuits and cane syrup that are waiting at the table when you walk in. Great tips and tricks especially about what to do if you forget a timer or pull the pralines out too early. My mother in law even got Harriet to sign her cookbook. Amazing experience and I would and will recommend this to everyone! Also for the price the flowing pitchers of Abita Amber is well worth it!

If you are looking for one of those hands on cooking class this is not it. Think of it as a cooking demonstration rather than a ‘class’. If you are a semi serious home cook who had attempted Southern cooking, you won’t be a stranger to the techniques and recipes. That said, the experience was highly entertaining. Chef Kevin is quite a character. There were times I felt like I was watching a stand up comedy show. It was an enjoyable way to spend a couple hours in the afternoon.

I took a group of wives to the New Orleans School of Cooking recently and we had a BLAST. We were all spouses of a group involved with a convention and this was the spouse trip. It got the highest numbers for satisfied participants on the post conference survey!
Our chef was Toya Boudy and she was amazing. I think we all ended up being Facebook friends with her after the class. She was entertaining, informative and was able to cook, talk, tell jokes, ask questions and share secrets all at the same time.
The food was amazing and I’m pretty sure we all walked away with new knowledge, a few new ingredients and a new appreciation for cajun/​creole, New Orlean’s magical cooking style.
Would definitely do it again!

Sooooo happy we came. 5 plus stars all the way.
For $ 32, you get a 4 course meal, a live lesson and the most entertaining history lecture from the amazing Pat.
She literally talks for 2 hours straight and is obviously passionate about both New Orleans and food.
We had tried jambalaya and gumbo already, but the dishes that Pat made were so much better. I really think that I can make it again when I get home.
Btw, go online and download a $ 3 off coupon. Reservations are a must.

Signed up for the cooking class on our last day in New Orleans. So happy that we did. Had a great time with the hubs. We learned all about where the flavors and ingredients came from and how they came to be quintessentially Cajun. You start with a basket of warm biscuits and cane syrup, pitcher of water, iced tea and hot coffee on a table in front. Chef showed us some tips on making gumbo, jambalaya, bread pudding and pralines. While we ate the staff brought out pitchers of Abita Beer to taste with the food. Those pitchers were never empty! Made some of the gumbo for dinner tonight and added my own touches. It was awesome! It was the best souvenir I could ever bring home, the taste of New Orleans.

Took the demonstration class today with Ed as our instructor and had a wonderful time! From booking the class until the moment we left, the whole experience was well organized and thoughtfully run.
The food was wonderful and I can’t wait to get home and try the recipes myself. I can’t say enough about Ed, he was so funny, personable and informative.
This is a must do for anyone visiting New Orleans! By far one of the highlights of my trip.

Wonderful experience. We learned so much from Chef Toya Boudy. She kept us entertained the while morning and the food was fantastic! I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys cooking and wants to take a piece of New Orleans back home to share with family and friends.

Chef Michael was very friendly and made the experience feel like you were at a friend’s house cooking. He went over his background as a chef, included some family stories, and history of new orleans which was fun and made the best use of the time while he was cooking.
He warned us we wouldn’t find anything like his gumbo and he was right. The garlic, the textures yum! I will make it back to NOLA if only for Chef Michael’s gumbo! Unfortunately, this was the first place we tried gumbo so we were pretty disappointed everywhere else. We had enough for seconds on both the gumbo and jambalaya (which most everyone took advantage of on the gumbo but didnt have much room left for the jambalaya)! Also, and very importantly, they kept the Abita Amber pitchers coming (it was a lunch class)! The pralines were a nice touch as they are sweet and on the smaller side so even when you are stuffed to the brim you are able to finish off your meal with one. At the end of the class you are given a printed copy of the recipes to attempt at home. That gumbo was so delicious I will have to try and duplicate it. Be sure the pick up some spices and gifts in the retail area.
I would strongly suggest doing a tour beforehand to get the most use of your time and work on your appetite. You want to come here starving!
Chef Michael even had everyone sing happy birthday to me! Thank you Chef Michael and The New Orleans School of Cooking for an unforgettable class!

Really nothing short of five stars. Cant speak for the rest of the Chefs, but try to get in with chef Kevin Belton. He makes it fun and is interactive with everyone in the crowd.
They offer recipes and seasonings to take home. Also, enough Abita, Lemonade & Sweet Tea to go around.
Great experience overall, its plain and simple. Good way to spend a couple hours during your visit to NOLA. Chef Belton was awesome. He deserves his own cooking show on the food network. Enjoyed every minute.

Add this to your list of things to do when visiting NOLA. It was only $ 32 and it’s worth the price.
The class is a demonstration cooking class. Learn how to make some of NOLA’s favorites. Jambalaya, Gumbo, Praline and Bread pudding. But don’t think it’s only a cooling class. The instructor gave us a WONDERFUL history lesson. Giving us a great understanding of NOLA and why the food is such a big part of the culture.
Just in case you were wondering. YES you eat everything that’s cooked during the class.

I walked in the store and watched the praline being made, he smell and taste was from heaven. Then I tried their seasonings and dip and I just got myself hooked. I didn’t know what to buy, the whole store, perhaps! Anyway they told me about their cooking school and I laughed, me going to culinary class? how ironic! I don’t usually cook much. But Since I fall in love with the cajun food I booked a noon class for next day. I’m in vacation so why not?!! I was NOT disappointed at all. Fun, unique and delicious. I always wondered how the audience on the cooking shows see whats happening on the stove, and there i got my answer. There is a mirror on the ceiling! How I didn’t figure that myself.
Four and half Unilocal

I highly recommend that anyone coming to New Orleans sign up for one of these cooking classes. You don’t actually cook-​an instructor cooks, all the while telling stories and giving helpful cooking tips, and then you eat what they have cooked.
I have taken this class twice now. The first time it was taught by an older native New Orleanian, and she had amazing stories to tell of growing up in NOLA. Of the 2 classes I have taken-​that one was my favorite-​great stories, and plenty to eat. We had fresh biscuits, jambalaya, gumbo, bread pudding, and pralines.
This last class had Julie as an instructor. She is an excellent chef, but she only talked on the history of the NOLA cuisine, with no personal local anecdotes. Also — this class served the bare minimum of food-​we had samples of corn and crab chowder and chicken étouffée, with a praline for dessert. Still fun, but I left hungry.
Beer, tea, lemonade and water are all provided to drink.
The school is attached to a store that has tons of ready made gift sets and cooking utensils. Perfect place to buy New Orleans gifts for friends.

tome la clase de cocina de Gumbo, red beans and rice, pralines y pecan pie. La clase en si es divertida y la da un señor gordito que tiene buen sentido del humor aunque a veces parece que se esta burlando de ti si haces preguntas jaja, en fin, la clase estuvo bien, todo lo comimos recien hecho y es una clase en donde solo miras… o sea. no formas parte de la accion de cocinar y bascamente estas viendo y escuchando y bueno en general es una actividad entretenida perooo bueno no se si lo haria otra vez.
en fin, LA COMIDA:
EL GUMBO ES DELICIOSO, fue de mis cosas favoritas, delicioso, me servi dos veces!!! Los red beans and rice. meeehhh he probado mucho mejores la vdd… nisiquiera los termine. los pralines fueron suculentos y el pecan pie no lo probe ya que no tengo lo que le llaman un «sweet tooth» y bueno la vdd es ke no fue de mis actividades preferidas en NOLA y por el precio (30 dls) preferiria mejor pagar 20 mas e irme a un swamp tour, o simplemente ver una receta en youtube y hacerlo yo misma, no? en general es una actividad 100% turistica y algo que haria si estuviera con mi madre de vacaciones algo asi, en esta ocacion fui con un amigo y la vdd nos aburrimos y nos salimos al momento del pecan pay jaja, perooo bueno no esta tan mal y lo recomiendo como actividad turistica ñoña

Uneingeschränkte Empfehlung! Während unseres Aufenthalts in New Orleans sind wir immer wieder an der Kochschule mit anschließendem Geschäft vorbeigegangen. Erst am letzten Tag konnten wir und entschließen, an einem der Kurse teilzunehmen (Reservierung über das Internet zu empfehlen).
Es ist eine eigene Welt: Vorne steht eine Küche, die ähnlich einer Fernsehküche mit Spiegeln einen Blick in Töpfe und Pfannen ermöglicht. An großen Tischen versammeln sich Menschen aus allen möglichen Kulturen und Altersgruppen. Und in der Mitte stand in unserem Fall Pat, eine resolute Mitfünzigerin, mit einem unglaublich lehrreichen und humorvollen Vortrag über die Gründung von New Orleans, die Einheimischen, Eroberer, Zuwanderer, Einheimischen und deren Einfluss auf alles, was man in New Orleans essen und trinken kann. Und nach dieser Zusammenfassung ging sie auch an die Töpfe, um für ca. 40 Leute Gumbo, Jambalaya und Pralines zuzubereiten. Selbstverständlich wurde alles Schritt für Schritt erklärt und mit dem einen oder anderen Tipp garniert. Die Rezepte sind auch bereitgestellt, Ergänzungen lohnen sich, um auch nach ein paar Wochen den Selbstversuch erfolgreich zu meistern. Nach der Verkostung aller Gerichte hat man die Möglichkeit, Gewürzmischungen und Pasten im anschließenden Geschäft zu kaufen.
Ich kann dieses Abenteuer absolut empfehlen. Es wäre vielleicht sogar am Beginn des Aufenthalts ideal, dann hat man beim Durchprobieren der Küche Lousinanas eine Wissensbasis!

Je vous le recommande chaudement! Il s’agit en fait plus d’un mélange entre un one man show et un cours de cuisine. Vous vous retrouverez dans une salle de classe/​salle de resto et le chef explique 3 recettes qu’il exécute devant vos yeux.
Habitué des «vrais» cours que l’on peut trouver en Europe où l’on vous fait mettre la main à la pâte, j’étais un peu dubitatif mais j’en suis ressorti convaincu.
Le tout est fait avec tellement d’humour qu’on né voit pas le temps passer. Pendant les périodes ou il n’y a rien à expliquer (quand ça mijote par exemple) il répond aux question que vous pourriez avoir sur la cuisine locale ou sur n’importe quel autre sujet. Et le moins que l’on puisse dire c’est qu’il a du répondant.
Et pour être honnête, pour 25 $ vous aurez une entrée, un plat, des pralines et des boissons à volonté (dont l’Abita amber!) ce qui en fait vraiment une super affaire!
Si vous y aller l’après-midi je vous conseille de manger très léger à midi pour en profiter un max!