FoodFirst - Plate of pasta with tomato sauce, side of broccoli, glass of dark wine, glass of water with ice, set on outdoor table with woven placemat and autumn leaves in background.

LEARN TO COOK WITH CONFIDENCE!

Photo by FoodFirst Culinary School, on premises

In-Person Cooking Classes and Events in Washington, DC

Learn to cook with confidence in a comfortable home setting under the expert guidance of an experienced FoodFirst culinary coach

Stir-fried chicken with red and green bell peppers, green beans, and chopped nuts in a wok.

Cooking with Confidence Course for Beginners

Want to cook but don’t know where to start? Tired of spending money on takeout or cooking the same few dishes? Our in-person, 4-class Cooking with Confidence Course for beginners is perfect for you. Learn 12 go-to recipes, how to adapt them to what’s in your fridge, and build real kitchen confidence.

Peach tart with sliced peaches arranged in a swirl pattern in a decorative ceramic pie dish, on a stovetop.

Master Chef Classes

Already have the basics down? Want to expand your cooking horizons? Try our stand-alone Master Chef Classes to explore new cuisines and techniques—like the Italian cacio e pepe, Chinese regional dishes, or sourdough bread.

A top-down view of a dinner table with various dishes, including a roasted meat, green beans with potatoes, beet salad with cherry tomatoes, and a bottle of red wine.

Events with a Cooking Theme

Planning an event and looking for something special? Want it to be fun, memorable, and delicious? Let’s craft a cooking experience for your guests! You tell us what you like and we will plan a menu to fit your vibe, organize supplies, and guide your guests to cook a perfect meal to share!

RESOURCES

A shopping cart filled with groceries, including a bag of potatoes, greens, onions, and other produce, on an aisle in a grocery store.

Smart Shopping Guide

Smart shopping strategies can easily save you at least 50% on groceries. These include attention to:

  • where you shop,

  • the quantities you are buying, and

  • the management of your groceries at home.

Check out our Smart Shopping Guide for tips and tricks on how to cut costs of your home-cooked meals. The Guide also includes tips for storing food, minimizing waste and ensuring food safety.

Open drawer with organized jars of spices labeled with their names such as turmeric, ginger, cumin, cinnamon, and others, arranged in rows.

Pantry Guide

How often do you think of cooking something, only to realize you are missing a key ingredient?

Keeping essentials on hand will help you reduce last-minute runs to the store and also will help you whip up a meal from the pantry when it’s raining and you don’t feel like going shopping!

See our Pantry Guide for the list of essentials you always want to keep on hand.

A kitchen wall with hanging pots, pans, and utensils, including a paper towel holder and a cutting board.

Cooking Equipment Guide

Contrary to what culinary shops would like you to believe, you don’t really need a million different pots and pans. All you need is a few reliable ones that fit the style of food you prefer.

See our Cookware Guide for a clear explanation of:

  • what different cookware materials are best for,

  • how to get the best results with the pots and pans you already have, and

  • how to match cookware materials to your culinary preferences.