New Orleans School of Cooking

New Orleans School of Cooking

New Orleans School of Cooking
5
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
We teach the basics of Louisiana Cooking in a way you’ll never forget. Fun is a primary ingredient in our kitchen! Our Cajun / Creole experts teach New Orleans specialties such as Gumbo, Jambalaya and Pralines, seasoning them with history, trivia and tall tales! We offer demonstration classes and hands-on classes daily! DEMONSTRATION CLASS: Watch, learn & eat! Sit back and enjoy watching our skilled, entertaining chefs prepare a classic Cajun / Creole meal for you while learning about the vibrant history of New Orleans cuisine - enjoy all the demonstrated items, as well as local Abita beer with your meal! HANDS ON CLASS: Cook & eat an authentic Louisiana meal! In this highly interactive class, our guests prepare a complete dinner with one of our expert chefs, and afterwards they are able to sit down and enjoy the meal they have just created. Served with red & white wine.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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The area

Address
Neighborhood: French Quarter
A small and teeming network of laissez-faire living lounged out on the balmy banks of the Mighty Mississippi, the French Quarter has long been a port of call for folks in search of a good time and a great story. Perpetually inebriated Bourbon Street runs across its midriff like a strand of cheap ribbon tied around an otherwise rather pretty and impressively well-kept vintage dress. Throughout the rest of the Quarter, brightly colored Victorian homes and businesses, famously done up with wrought-iron features, provide a distinct and immediately recognizable backdrop for all varieties of fun. At any given moment in this historic riverside setting, some of America’s finest meals are being cooked, most potent cocktails are being mixed, and most engaging music is being performed.
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See what travelers are saying

  • karla1042023
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Lots of fun
    Chef Micheal is not just a lot of fun, he's also very informative about the cooking and culture of New Orleans. He explained everything as he went and answered any questions we had and joked with the class. The food he taught us to cook we all got to eat and it was delicious! I would recommend taking one of Chef Michael 's classes you won't be disappointed.
    Visited October 2023
    Written October 8, 2023
  • llcrocolyle
    Three Rivers, Michigan3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Outstanding experience!
    This former molasses factory is a charmer all by itself, but add the sparkling personality of our chef, and delicious food and it’s delicious! The class started with a fascinating history of New Orleans and how its food culture evolved. The interweaving of people, places, opportunities, weather, and inspiration surely makes Nola incomparable. As is this experience. The food is accessible and I can’t wait to try these recipes at home. She made everything look effortless. I learned the value of mise en place. I’d love an assistant like Keith.
    Visited September 2023
    Written October 8, 2023
  • wcrs23
    Thompson s Station, Tennessee90 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Visiting the French Quarter, lean about the great foor of New Orleans
    Went on a food tour of the French Quarter, last stop was the New Orleans School of Cooking, pick up a flyer and attended a cooking class the next day. Our Chef, Maria did a great job sharing tips and the history of food of the area. Came home and made the Gumbo recipe from class, came out pretty good. if you have two to three hours, stop by and sign up for a class,
    Visited September 2023
    Written October 8, 2023
  • Companion29969981293
    Oceanside, California1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    He changed his mind
    I signed my husband& I up for a demo class but he only came to appease me. Guess who LOVED the class! Rene was the chef and he was wonderful - charming, fun, and such good cooking! We bought many spices that we were low on and had a wonderful time!l
    Visited October 2023
    Written October 9, 2023
  • AmyKKaplan
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    NOLA local & will be back!!
    My spouse and I decided on a stay-cation for our anniversary and were interested in things we've not done before in the city! I found the New Orleans School of Cooking Hands-On class in the search results and knew that had to be the one! Besides the fact that the menu included gumbo, shrimp and grits, and bananas foster crepes (all FAVORITES) and the fact that we already had some knowledge on the dishes, this class was a BLAST!! We have rambled on to all of our friends and family about how much fun we had and already have a group together to go back. I can promise you guys, I will make it my mission to do a hands-on class every day of the week to get all the menu options! 100/50 recommend!
    Visited September 2023
    Written October 9, 2023
  • KateS
    6,171 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    LOVE this store!
    I visited the retail section - the "general store" of cooking - rather than took a class. A few days earlier, I ran into a bartender I knew from at least a decade ago, Lucy, & she invited me to her now-workplace, the store. I did not have time to book a class or demonstration before my departure date, but Lucy did such an amazing job describing the retail shop, I knew I had to at least visit that before leaving town. SO GLAD I DID! Lucy recommended the "Joe's Stuff" spice blends. What an excellent recommendation! I LOVE these flavorings on EVERYTHING! I also noticed they carried the Rex brand of dried Cajun Trinity, so I bought enough to hopefully get me through until my next visit to this amazing place. And Lucy is every bit as wonderful in this sales position as I remember her being when she was behind the bar. A true gem.
    Visited September 2023
    Traveled solo
    Written October 11, 2023
  • Matt_W_T
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Excellent experience
    We attended the cooking demo and received a wealth of information not only about the food of New Orleans and Louisiana but also an engaging historical backdrop for context. We made the mistake of eating breakfast beforehand as the school provides you with enough samples for a large lunch. Food and lessons were excellent and would recommend to anyone visiting New Orleans
    Visited October 2023
    Written October 13, 2023
  • Mercer H
    1 contribution
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Very fun!
    I had a great time! The food was delicious! However it was so much food that I wish they either did smaller portions or offered to go boxes so it didn’t go to waste. My mom was visiting and it was a fun and different thing to do together!
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written October 13, 2023
  • afkaiser
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fabulous hands on cooking experience
    Chef Rene was a pleasure. I went alone and quickly made a friend in the group to cook with. Chef Rene gave great info on the history of Cajun and Creole cooking styles. He also gave us a wide variety of cooking and kitchen tips and tricks. It was a very laid back and fun 3 hours. Great meal and open bar. I would definitely do it again.
    Visited October 2023
    Written October 15, 2023
  • livn247
    Denver, Colorado71 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fantastic experience!
    We highly recommend the New Orleans School of Cooking! Our family participated in the demonstration class on a weekend morning and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. In fact, it was the highlight of our NOLA trip! We were treated to an amazing history lesson, a terrific brunch/lunch, lots of laughter, and recipes to take home and experiment on our own. The school is conveniently located in the Quarter, has a terrific gift shop, provides classes absent of seafood (allergy) and we thought provided great value. Just book it!
    Visited October 2023
    Written October 15, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles10,049 reviews
Excellent
9,169
Very good
641
Average
156
Poor
47
Terrible
38

Meander55002210447
1 contribution
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
The presentation was ok, not really much demonstrating of cooking. Recipes for the dishes being prepared were included with the class, however, the chef consistently said how he didn't do it the way the recipe stated so it isn't likely that you will be able to replicate the dish very easily. The space is packed in super tight so there wasn't room for the servers to easily get through between tables. Because of this there was a constant interrupting of guests to move. This was inconvenient to those needing to move and also caused a noisy commotion that kept us from being able to hear very well. A group of 6 guests was also allowed to enter the crowded class 25 minutes after it began causing additional disruption as they tried to find seats among the crowded tables. I love to cook and learn about cooking, especially in a cuisine I am unfamiliar with. I had an ok time but I feel sightly disappointed at the experience. This class is included on the GO PASS we purchased, if I had paid full price for this class individually I would not have been happy. They offer other cases classes at pretty steep pricing, not sure if they would be better.
Written February 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

joebenik
Dallas, TX2 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020 • Family
My teen-age daughter and I took the hands-on class at the NOSOC on Sunday afternoon. The instructor was Chef Ricardo Fredericks, who was fantastic. But most of the other guests, adults over 50, came in drunk, and got moreso during the class. Wine and beer were served, so by the end of the three-hour session at least three of them had trouble standing up. I understand that in New Orleans, it is reasonable to expect a certain amount of partying. But I was there with my daughter to learn how to cook the dishes, and learn about the history of Creole and Cajun cooking. Ricardo did his best to maintain order, but at the end of the day, he spent most of his time keeping his guests from hurting themselves. Unfortunately, the unruly guests made the experience less than positive, and I'd recommend that the NOSOC implement a policy of turning away students who have had too much to drink.
Written March 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Entrprise1
Bronx, NY45 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
This was hands down the worse thing that I did in NOLA. I have been to other demonstration classes in NYC and in Santa Fe. This was like being back in grade school with the lunch ladies. As in all demonstration classes, there were items already on the stove cooking. We were given biscuits to start-causing a great deal of distraction with people grabbing molasses and biscuits so the cook could not talk. Then they pointed out that coffee was available at the front and this causes another long distraction. The cook started to explain how roux is made and pointed to the explanations from Prudhomme's book. She talked about her life in a parade. I came to learn how to cook! She told us about the trinity- in the gumbo and then servers came up with bowls and the cook served about 50 bowls at the front of the class while servers passed out bowls. This took about 20 minutes. She then asked if anyone wanted seconds. That took another 10 minutes. They then cleaned up plates and brought out beer creating another distraction. The cook then spooned pre made pecan mixture into small pie tins stating that 50 there were pies already baking. New dishes and a huge bowl of rice. The cook stated that it was obvious people were tired from parades and just came to eat. Not wanting to waste more time with average food and watching people dish and clean up plates instead of TEACHING HOW TO COOK, my brother and I walked out!! I feel like I was deceived and robbed.
Written February 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are sorry that the class you attended did not meet your expectations. Our mottoes of serving, "Fun, Food and Folklore" and "entertaining" demonstration classes are intended to differentiate our offerings from those of a specialized culinary institute. Your unfortunate descriptions and rating suggest you were anticipating a stricter "how to cook" presentation, which we do offer in our "hands-on" classes. It never has been, nor will it ever be, out intention to "deceive and rob" our valued guests; please provide us with your name associated with your reservation and we will promptly issue a full refund.
Written February 26, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

jvaughn2020
Laurel, MD1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
We were in NOLA for our 40th wedding anniversary. We stayed on Decatur just around the block. We signed up for the demonstration class which was only 32$ per person. It may sound like a lot but you get to eat the delicious food. Our chef presented as if she was in her kitchen cooking Sunday meal after church. Story after story entertained us and made us feel right at home in her kitchen. Afterward we put together a lovely box of spices and 'stuff' and they boxed them up and sent them home to us. It arrived in 4 days. This was just a marvelous experience, one that my wife and I will always remember.
Written February 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Nick W
Sacramento, CA27 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
Chef Anne’s wonderfully entertaining cooking demonstration was a last minute thing that became one of the best parts of our vacation. It felt like we were attending a live Food Network show, except interactive and everyone got lunch at the end! The class is an amazing value, but more than that, it’s a priceless experience for anyone visiting New Orleans to learn about the food and history, and enjoy a home cooked meal from a lovely person. It would be a tragedy to visit the city and pass up the opportunity to attend a cooking class or demo at this school.
Written February 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

AJ Kam
4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
You'll be in a room full of other people watching a chef at the front cook. They have a mirror on the ceiling that's angled so people can see what the chef is doing. The chef we had went way off of what the directions they gave us on paper so it was great to hear him explain what he was doing and why so we could take that knowledge home with us. We loved hearing his stories about his grandma showing him how to cook and he was very engaging with the crowd.
Written February 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Adagio_Travelers
Champaign, IL183 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
We took an afternoon demonstration class with Chef Tom. It was a fun time. Chef Tom is engaging and told us the history of the different cultures found in New Orleans cooking. He spent a lot of time talking about making a roux and used it in two separate dishes. He spoke on layering flavors and using spices for flavor depth. My husband suggested the class even though he doesn't cook much and really enjoyed himself. We tasted everything Chef Tom made including seconds and beverages. Do not do what most of the class did, myself included, by purchasing items in the shop and forgetting to use the $3.00 coupon given to us during class! All in all, a fun time.
Written January 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jamieww2020
Media, Pennsylvania5 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
We are in New Orleans for Mardi Gras. The last few days have been full of parades, fun, great food but our hands-on cooking class with Chef Matt at the New Orleans School of Cooking has been the highlight!!! Our group of four went Saturday morning - we made Chicken and Andouille Gumbo, BBQ Shrimp and Cheese Grits and Bananas Foster Crepes. I really don't even like to cook but this class was a blast! Chef Matt is a fabulous host - funny, knowledgeable and patient. When the cooking part was over, Matt sat with us while we ate our ridiculously delicious food and answered all our questions and gave us great recommendations of places to go around the city. We HIGHLY recommend this class! We plan to do it again some day!
Written February 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

RogerBTexan
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
The cooking lesson for gumbo, shrimp creole and pecan pralines was fast-paced and fun. The chef was from New Orleans and was able to tell a lot of stories about the food and culture. There were printed recipes to take home and people from all different parts of the country around my table. The proof of the chef's talent was in the tasting, and the dishes were all delicious — and there were seconds!
Written March 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Brandon K
Flagstaff, AZ2,025 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
First thing right up front - this place presents two cooking classes, and you need to know what you are signing up for. There are demonstration classes, meaning you sit at a table and watch and listen to the cooking instruction, and the instructor does all the cooking while talking to you about it. This is a much bigger class and costs much less ($32.50 each). The hands-on class is the one where you actually cook. If you really want to cook, then sign up for that class and pay $150 a person to do it. I would have loved to have done the hands on class, but it was unavailable when we had time. We sat and enjoyed every minute of the demonstration class, as our presenter was wonderful. She explained the history of New Orleans, from French colonization, to Spanish rule, back to French, to US ownership, mixed in with African influences from slaves and free men and women. All of that is important as it explains the ingredients used and why the cooking of creole dishes are the way that they are. We had a great time watching gumbo, jambalaya, pralines, and king cake bread pudding being made, and then you get to eat it all. You then get a chance to buy in the store any spices and books you want to remember your class. There is a reason that this place is listed as one of the best experiences in the world. You go home with amazing recipies and a great experience you just can get anywhere else in the world.
Written January 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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