Outreach Ministries: Cooking Classes

Cooking is one of those skills that everyone professes to want but few actually pursue. By offering cooking classes you are helping people to eat better, save money, and get creative.

• Location - First, you must decide where are you going to have class. Chances are you will not have access to a home economics classroom or professional cooking studio with multiple ranges and countertops. You will most likely have to make do with a classroom setting. Thats okay. Just make sure you provide lots of notes and pictures for each step. Whenever possible, bring in props and examples from your own kitchen.
• Start Basic - Very basic As in, how to boil water. Youd be surprised how many people have no cooking skill beyond dialing for take out. A great place to start is a basic pasta recipe. Teach students how to boil pasta, chop vegetables, and prepare a sauce. This is a simple recipe that can be varied dozens of ways to each students personal taste.
• Teach Safety - One of your very first lessons should be on kitchen safety. Kitchens can be very hazardous places. What other room in our house contains sharp pointed objects, an open heat source, a variety of electrical outlets, and the constant presence of water? Teach basic knife handling techniques, fire safety, and burn prevention.
• Pick a Theme - What is the focus of your class. Is it basic cooking skills, such as baking, broiling, chopping, and mixing? Or are you more interested in a particular type of food such as Italian, Asian, Barbeque, Desserts, or Vegetarian?
• Progress Slowly - Dont expect your students to get everything right away. Start with basic principals. Then move on to a simple dish such a pasta or salad. Each class teach a new dish. By the end of your course, students should be able to cook a full meal (salad, entre, sides, and dessert) and present it in a pleasing fashion. It is a good idea to give cooking homework assignments, so that you can see if they are truly learning. Plus, everyone gets to sample each others cooking!

Helpful Links

• Busy Cooks- A listing of cooking class articles and ideas.

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