; Skip to Content

15+ Classes To Get You Cooking In The Kitchen

Cooking classes are a great way to learn new dishes to change up your meals at home. The one-time culinary sessions are great date nights and girls night out, and if you’re really interested in improving skills, there are longer classes available. Kids can even learn some kitchen skills and recipes. Here are some cooking classes and food-related classes in Omaha and nearby.

Barbeque, anyone? Helping U BBQ, 15791 W. Dodge Road, offers three-hour classes that include Brisket Butt Class and Ribs & Chicken Class, preparation, cooking times, temperatures, foiling and wrapping techniques, and finally finishing. There will be sampling during the classes. Some classes involve more “hands on” work. Classes are $95. 

Man seasoning meat

Fireplace Stone & Patio, 13709 Industrial Road, occasionally has classes, including a recent Holiday Meats Class and a Turkey & Ham Cooking Class. Follow their Facebook page for future class announcements. 

The best place to learn about food is a culinary school, right? Metropolitan Community College offers a variety of courses ranging from sauces to prepping whole meals of a particular cuisine. These non-credit classes are held at MCC’s Institute for Culinary Arts, 5370 N. 30th St.

I’m more of a lazy learner, so I rather go to the school’s wine and food pairing meals. These classes are held at the Sage Bistro and the food is already made and you just sit back and learn a little bit while you eat and drink. It’s great. It also sells out fairly quickly, so act fast if you see open reservations. 

Exterior of the Institute For The Culinary Arts at the Fort Omaha campus of Metropolitan Community College

MCC typically has at least one culinary summer camp for kids, and in the past, they’ve been geared toward older elementary-aged or junior high students. The classes are little more specialized, like baking, and kids can make some pretty complex recipes by the end. Summer camp registration typically opens in early February.

There’s so much going on at Pottawattamie Arts Culture & Entertainment, 1001 S. Sixth St., Council Bluffs, Iowa, it’s hard to keep track. Since it’s home to the Kitchen Council, there’s a variety of culinary classes that pop up, from charcuterie board how-to’s to kid’s cooking.

Sign up for PACE email updates to hear about future culinary classes.

While technically not a cooking class, young children can be introduced to the kitchen in a fun setting at Omaha Children’s Museum, 500 S. 20th St. Most weekday mornings, the museum holds Kitchen ABCs. It’s a short program where kids can prepare a recipe and then eat what they make (and it’s included with museum admission).

Kitchen ABCs program at Omaha Children's Museum

The museum also has Kids in the Kitchen Summer Camps for ages 6-8 and Kids in the Kitchen Jr. Summer Camps for ages 4-5. Summer camps go on sale in early January each year.

No, you don’t get cider-making classes here (yet…). Glacier Till Cider House & Tasting Room, 1419 Silver St, Ashland, Neb., offers charcuterie board how-to’s. I imagine whatever you make pairs well with their delicious ciders.

If you’re more of a cocktail recipe preparer than food preparer, I heard that Site One Brewing has offered classes in the past that have been pretty entertaining.

Matt at Urban Slicer has offered private classes on how to prepare Neapolitan pizza, but I don’t see any updated information on his website or Facebook page. In the past, he’s had a pizza making class at Chili Dawg’s Foods of Fire, a specialty food store at 1940 Ridgeview Road, Blair, Neb. 

Dan Benigno at Chef Around The Block has culinary classes that teach basic techniques, for adults and kids 12 and older. No public classes are listed for 2022 yet but he does offer two-hour private sessions for two or more people that include two recipes. Email [email protected] to order a class. 

Sometimes you just want to make pretty things. Classes at Mangelsen’s, 3457 S. 84th St., lean toward the decorating arena of food, so evening classes may be on cookie decorating, for instance.

Woman decorating a cupcake

A private cooking class for 10 friends can be arranged in The Loft above the Gallery, 215 N. Spruce St., in Valley, Neb. Call Jeanne at 402-813-2851 for more information. 

There’s a national brand called Cozymeal that has some cooking classes in Omaha and they’re ran by Omaha chefs. A few planned in January include “Classic Fare from Italy,” “Elevated Steakhouse Dinner” and “Authentic Thai Favorites.” Meals are $85, but you won’t know the event location until after booking.   

The Papillion Hy-Vee location at 11650 S. 73rd St. offers occasional Kids in the Hy-Vee Kitchen sessions that start at $10. A recent one involved holiday baking. There’s one on Saturday, Jan. 15, at 11 a.m. I recommend following this particular Hy-Vee on Facebook for future session announcements. 

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.