Best Online Cooking Classes for Couples

Sure, you’ve walked by Sur la Table at the mall and oohed and ahhed over all the gorgeous merch—but did you know they don’t just sell fancy kitchenware? This long-standing chain also offers online classes to teach you how to actually cook with that heirloom Le Creuset you’ve been eyeing. 

Simply jump on Sur la Table’s website and take your pick from dozens of classes featuring individual meals, courses, global cuisines, and kitchen techniques. A comprehensive calendar shows you exactly when each class is offered, with clear-cut pricing measured either per household or per “seat.” (Classes start at about $29 per household.) You can browse courses that teach cooking basics like making the perfect steak or a classic daiquiri, or opt for more advanced skills like how to hand-press your own dumplings or pipe buttercream onto cupcakes. 

Sur la Table’s virtual classes take place live via Zoom and are taught by professional chefs with years of experience (and sometimes even by celebrity chefs, such as Emeril Lagasse). There are also private lessons available. However, some instructors don’t have bios on the website, which may be a drawback if you prefer a lot of background. Also, when taking classes as a couple, be prepared to do a little math to halve some recipes—or prepare for leftovers. Most recipes serve four to six.

Udemy is an online learning platform that provides courses for just about everything—including cooking. Whether you’ve always wanted to learn the secrets of sourdough or need insight on cooking on a keto diet, Udemy lets you and your partner filter through hundreds of specific courses pertaining to technique, cuisine, and diet. (You can get as detailed as you want—we’re talking classes like Farm Cheese Making and Healthy Pan-Asian Quinoa Recipes.) Most courses last between 30 minutes and two hours, but multi-video series can extend up to 17 hours. Once you make your purchase, you’ll receive Udemy’s classes as on-demand videos, not live instruction. 

There is, of course, a flip side to the extreme variety Udemy offers. The website features so many choices, it can feel pretty overwhelming. And though most of them are taught by professional chefs, some may not have the impressive credentials you’ll find with other programs. Then again, for prices as low as $16.99 per course, this might be a reasonable trade-off.

Cocu Social offers both in-person and online classes, with plenty to choose from in each category. Participate in live online courses taught by the service’s team of professional chefs.

Though you won’t find lessons on kitchen techniques like knife skills or how to blowtorch the top of a crème brûlée, you will have your choice of numerous recipes and entire meals, like soft pretzels, Spanish tapas and sangria, or Date Night in the South of France. And since each class is offered via Zoom, you’ll not only get to ask your pro chef questions as you go, you’ll have the privilege of peeking into their kitchen.

Pricing for Cocu Social’s classes is per person, rather than per screen or household, and starts at about $19. Most classes require a minimum of four guests, so you and your partner will be joined by at least two (and up to 18) other people. You’ll receive a recipe, ingredient list, and required equipment list prior to your scheduled date.

Looking for a super unique date night experience? Intimacy and fun are the hallmarks of Traveling Spoon’s personalized online cooking classes. Though this company started out offering world travelers authentic culinary experiences while abroad, they’ve transitioned to also providing an online format.

Now, you can schedule a virtual class at your convenience with any of Traveling Spoon’s many international chefs. (For example, tackle Greek meatballs with Chef Fotini in Athens, perfect a biryani with Chef Reshma in Mumbai, or roll out homemade gnocchi with Chef Cinzia in Italy.) 

At your appointment time, you’ll be welcomed into your chosen chef’s home kitchen via a video call, where they’ll walk you through their signature global dishes in a private, ~90-minute class. And don’t forget to check your email beforehand: You’ll be sent a recipe, list of ingredients, and special tools your class may require. 

Traveling Spoon’s online classes are all priced at about $50 for as many people who want to participate via a single screen. Make it a double date with friends for just roughly $30 more per additional screen.

America’s Test Kitchen is known for teaching the essentials of cooking through its catalog of magazines, cookbooks, and websites. To bring its scientifically-tested best practices into your home kitchen in an even more hands-on way, check out the ATK Online Cooking School. No need for expertise or prior experience here—so if you have never boiled an egg or made a sauce, you’ve come to the right place. Choose from classes that’ll teach some of you basics like cookie baking, feeding a crowd, or choosing the right fish. (Got more culinary know-how? ATK also offers courses for higher-level cooks.)

Unlike some other online cooking classes, ATK’s Online Cooking School is a membership-based service. For about $20 per month, you can subscribe for self-guided access to its registry of over 320 chef-instructed video classes. Or, for roughly $40 a month, enjoy an “instructor access” membership, which allows you to ask questions and receive feedback from ATK’s roster of pro chefs and recipe testers. And if you and your partner are on the fence about diving in, ATK sweetens the deal by offering a free, three-week trial.

What do hand-crafted candies, indulgent cheesecakes, and dreamy custards have in common? They're all available via Craftsy’s online cooking classes. As its name suggests, Craftsy offers virtual education on a variety of craft and creative skills—so if you and your partner also want to learn to knit or quilt, you’re in luck. Or stick to boning up on cooking and baking with Craftsy’s dozens of professional and celebrity chef-taught classes. (Hello, Jacques Torres!)

Craftsy’s learning model is somewhat different from other online cooking classes. Here, you have the option to either purchase individual courses, starting at about $40, or become an annual member with access to all courses for the extremely low price of $2.50 (when on sale, usually about $100). (Just be aware that your Craftsy membership will auto-renew at roughly $100 after one year.) 

Whether you purchase one-off classes or an annual membership, you can enjoy numerous series on your delicious topic of choice. Though courses can be an investment of time at up to six hours of content, they can typically be found in two to six pre-recorded, on-demand videos. With all this in-depth instruction, who knows... you may even end up baking your own wedding cake.

When learning to cook virtually, you and your partner may sometimes run into hiccups, even with simple recipes. Like, can you use a blender instead of a food processor for pesto? Get all your questions answered—and enjoy the cozy feel of one-on-two instruction—in a private class from The Chef and the Dish. Since private classes are all this service offers, they’ve gotten personalized guidance down to a science. 

To book your exclusive class, register as a couple or with up to four additional guests for a live Skype call with chefs all over the globe. There, you’ll take a virtual trip to any of dozens of international destinations, from the Spanish Basque region to Vietnam. (You’ll choose your preferred region and recipe ahead of time.) But while your two-and-a-half-hour class might feel like a vacation for your palate, it’s not so easy on your wallet; private lessons from The Chef and the Dish cost about $300 for the first two participants, plus roughly an additional $50 per extra guest.

If you or your partner has chosen a vegan, vegetarian, or plant-based lifestyle, you might be used to making certain accommodations when dining out. But with a plant-based cooking class, like those offered by 18 Reasons, you won’t have to worry about accidental animal products in your food. 

18 Reasons is a non-profit cooking school in San Francisco that bolsters its local community through education on how to cook healthily on a budget. Since its inception in 2013, the school has expanded to offer classes online as well as in-person. You and your partner can support their mission and learn to make plant-based meals by registering for classes on their user-friendly calendar. Yummy choices like pierogies, cinnamon buns, and Barcelona street food round out the vegetarian offerings.

18 Reasons’ online courses are taught by a diverse group of instructors, including cookbook authors, food scientists, and private chefs. Prices begin at about $50 per class—or purchase roughly an annual $50 membership to receive $10 off most events.

Let’s be honest: Long-distance relationships are tough. Thankfully, virtual cooking classes provide a fun date night across the miles. Even if your S.O. is halfway across the world, Cozymeal is a great choice for cooking “together.” 

To schedule your long-distance cooking session, browse Cozymeal’s wide variety of specifications like calendar date, cuisine, dietary requirements, and more. (It even has a category of classes especially for couples.) On your scheduled date, a professional chef will guide you and your far-flung sweetheart through your recipe over Zoom. 

If you’re up for meeting new friends, choose a group class, which fills up with up to 20 people and starts at about $39 per device. Or, for a more intimate experience, make it a private session, starting at roughly $78 per device.