Culinary schools and cooking classes in Ontario
Red Hen Artisanale
Not only are cooking classes a great way to brush up on your cooking and master new skills, they’re also the perfect way to spend quality time with friends, family or your significant other.
Find weekend or summer cooking classes for kids, participate in romantic cooking classes for couples or bring the whole family on a cooking class vacation at a farm or resort. You’ll learn to create delicious, homemade meals that will impress your loved ones and make you the star host of every party.
Expand your cooking repertoire and transform Ontario’s farm fresh ingredients into a culinary delight at one of these culinary schools and cooking classes.
Note: Most cooking experiences are geared for small groups and tend to fill up quickly, so you’ll want to book well in advance.
Greater Toronto Area (GTA)
Nella Cucina is a two-story shop in downtown Toronto that functions as a retail store, event space and culinary school.
Join a hands-on group workshop that teaches the basics of cooking, or a private class for a more advanced session with some of the top chefs in the culinary industry. Whether you’re a beginner at cooking or an experienced chef looking to polish your skills even further, there’s a great cooking class for you.
Location: 876 Bathurst Street, Toronto
A popular Toronto stop for all things sweet, Le Dolci offers baking classes that cover a range of dessert-related treats. From cakes and buttercream to doughnuts and cinnamon buns, these courses will be a hit with any cook (and the people eating their food) with a sweet tooth.
Both public and private classes, as well as kids’ cooking classes, are available and can be booked online.
Location: 12 Sousa Mendes Street, Toronto
Learn to create popular dishes using local, handmade and high-quality foods at The Food District, located inside Square One in Mississauga, the largest shopping mall in Ontario.
A variety of workshops are available for cooks with a wide range of interests, such as traditional cooking classes taught by professional chefs and semi-formal clubs that specialize in different regional cuisines.
Location: 100 City Centre Drive, Mississauga
Niagara Region
Enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Lake Ontario waterfront as you learn new culinary techniques and make new, like-minded friends.
Hands-on Saturday cooking classes at Wine Country Cooking School last for about four hours and run from March to November.
Private cooking classes are three hours long and can be held both during the day and in the evening.
Location: 1339 Lakeshore Road, Niagara-on-the-Lake
Good Earth Cooking School & Food Company
Located a 20-minute drive west of St. Catharines, the Good Earth Cooking School offers cooking and baking classes for adults on a wide variety of culinary themes, including French cuisine, pumpkin-themed treats, coastal cooking, Christmas dishes and more.
Chefs leading the small classes will teach you to prepare four-course meals using regional ingredients and paired with wine produced by the Good Earth Winery. You’ll also learn professional cooking techniques. Unless otherwise specified, their classes are designed for people over 19 years of age. Be sure to register early as classes fill up quickly.
Location: 4556 Lincoln Avenue, Beamsville
Hamilton
Gastro Market employs a passionate team of experienced chefs who love to share their expertise with chefs-in-training.
Every second Friday is couples’ cooking classes, where partners can learn to create appetizers, entrées and desserts together.
More serious chefs can sign up for the intensive eight-week gastronomy program based on the Cordon Bleu Master Diplôme culinary program in Paris.
Location: 193 King Street East, Hamilton
Founded by professional Chef Fraser Fitzgerald, Fraser Cooks cooking classes specialize in using plant-based ingredients and turning them into creative vegan dishes. Virtual culinary classes are available year-round.
Location: online at noboneskitchen.ca
Huron, Perth, Waterloo and Wellington
Chefs of all ages and skill levels are welcome to join culinary cooking classes at the Kitchener Market.
Learn tips and tricks from a professional chef and enjoy the tasty meals you prepare. A variety of classes are available, such as Family Meal Prep, Taste of Italy, and Soups & Stews. Check out the event calendar for cooking class information and registration details.
Location: 300 King Street East, Kitchener
The Stratford Chefs School is a fully online cooking school where you can learn from accredited Chef Eli Silverthorne from the comfort of your own home.
His culinary classes include a wide range of cuisines, including Greek, Japanese, Thai, French and much more. The school’s video tutorials and downloadable recipe booklet will teach you to cook dishes using your own ingredients and how to create your own unique course menus.
If you live near Stratford, you also have the option of picking up a “Finish-At-Home” meal kit containing Eli’s prepped, pre-measured ingredients.
Location: Online at stratfordchef.com
Owned by two passionate cooks with impressive culinary backgrounds, Relish Cooking Studio offers classes for different cooking levels. Novice cooks will feel more courageous in the kitchen with the À La Carte classes that demonstrate how to use seasonal ingredients and sharpen cooking techniques. Signature classes use a fun, hands-on approach to cooking meals from scratch. Reserve classes are more advanced and feature special guests, unique ingredients and the food is paired with wine, beer and spirits. Of course, the best part about cooking something new is eating the tasty selections!
Check out the latest cooking calendar to sign up for your next class.
Georgian Bay, Central Ontario and Muskoka
Red Hen Artisanale offers online and in-person baking workshops geared towards various culinary skill levels. In-person culinary classes are kept small to let participants get acquainted with each other, dive into hands-on learning and get questions answered by Lauren Hambleton, who shares her extensive culinary experience with students.
The baking studio is located near the Saugeen River in Grey County, where students are invited to learn about decorative pies and the secrets behind baking tasty sourdough, among other mouth-watering creations.
Location: 384265, Concession Road 4, Priceville
Invite professional Chef Paul Simon, owner of P.S. Custom Cuisine, into your home for a private, interactive cooking class.
This convenient cooking experience paired with Simon’s customized teaching menu is perfect for anyone looking for family bonding event or a fun friends’ night together.
Location: Barrie & Simcoe Muskoka
Ottawa and Southeastern Ontario
Located within Ottawa’s historic ByWard Market, C’est Bon Cooking was founded by Chef Andrée Riffou in 2009.
Today, it continues to teach culinary arts and cuisine made with local ingredients and products. In-person and virtual culinary classes place an emphasis on French cooking techniques and hands-on learning, in addition to guided food tours through Ottawa’s popular culinary neighbourhoods.
Location: 200 Dalhousie Street, Ottawa
The culinary school of Maison Maitland takes place in a stately, stone manor built in 1827, just south of Ottawa.
The rustic European country atmosphere extends to its state-of-the-art kitchen, where scheduled cooking classes and private group lessons are held on everything from Italian farmhouse dishes to Vietnamese street food. You can even learn the basics of traditional Indigenous cuisine. Maison Maitland is located south of Ottawa.
Location: 1258 County Road 2, Maitland
Celebrate the bounty of Prince Edward County at the Waring House, a country inn located in the heart of the region.
Their renowned Cookery School offers twice-weekly, hands-on cooking classes that are guaranteed to expand your culinary skills.
Choose from an array of themed classes, with food ingredients sourced from the Waring House garden and local farms.
Location: 395 Sandy Hook Road, Picton
Southwest Ontario
Forest City Culinary Experiences
Enjoy hands-on, from-scratch cooking classes at Forest City Culinary Experiences in London.
Book a private class that’s custom designed to suit your skill level and culinary interests or register for one of their specialty classes such as French Cooking Experiences, Italian Cooking Series or Introduction to Tuscan Cooking.
After taking a cooking class, try out their Gastro Experiences, where you can sample signature food and drinks from many of London’s Covent Garden Market vendors.
Location: 46 Blackfriars Street, London
Northern Ontario
A Fine Fit Catering specializes in custom cooking to accommodate the dietary needs of all guests, whether it’s gluten-free, vegetarian or other dietary restrictions.
This mission is reflected in their year-round, monthly cooking classes, where the art of flexibility is prioritized in the kitchen. Run by chef and owner Rhonda Bill, this cooking school offers a variety of virtual and in-person culinary classes, as well as chef-in-your-home dinner parties.
Location: 193 Riverside Drive, Thunder Bay
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Last updated: March 1, 2023