Looking to learn a new skill in the new year? Or maybe you’re on the hunt for an exciting date night activity? Either way, cooking classes are the ideal way to learn how to become a pro in the kitchen, all while having a great time in the presence of other beginners. Whether you want to make homemade pasta, bake some flaky pastries, or cook up the perfect dinner roast, the Hudson Valley is chock full of culinary experiences that will put you in the fast lane to becoming your own personal chef.
Bivona’s Simply Pasta
Newburgh
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While you can stop by Bivona’s Simply Pasta in Newburgh for fresh, handmade pasta, you can also sign up for one of the culinary destination’s pasta classes. Each class at Bivona’s runs for two to two and a half hours, and participants can show up half an hour early to enjoy light bites. After class begins, an antipasto appetizer is provided, and each participant takes home what they make.
Culinary Institute of America
Hyde Park
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Of course, the Culinary Institute of America offers a multitude of different cooking classes, ranging from wine and beverage to family friendly. For those seeking an immersive, multi-day course, the CIA offers boot camps that last two to five days and teach cooking techniques, ingredients, and recipes, while a more relaxed cooking environment can be sought from a single-day hands-on cooking class with the Institute’s best instructors.
Hillsdale General Store
Hillsdale
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More than just a general store in Columbia County, Hillsdale General Store is a place for all things gourmet. From eclectic kitchenware to timeless pantry items, the historic store is worth checking out before heading across the street to HGS Home Chef for cooking classes. The adorable pink building hosts all kinds of classes, with options like Chinese Pork Belly Buns and Winter Soups in the near future.
Personal Plates
Lagrangeville, Poughkeepsie, Wappingers Falls
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Something of a traveling cooking workshop, Personal Plates offers online classes as well as in-person courses throughout Dutchess County. Taught with step-by-step guidance by Chef Gina Pagan-Vazquez, each class is tailored to specific age groups, with options like Chef and Chef Junior, Chef Junior: Beginners, and Adults Night Out. Make sure to check the location when you sign up, as classes are held at either the River Valley Arts Center, the Poughkeepsie Underwear Factory, or Arlington High School.
Sur la Table
Albany, White Plains
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A household name when it comes to cooking classes, Sur la Table has an endless supply of cooking classes at both of its Hudson Valley locations in Albany and White Plains. Perhaps most ideal for date night, head to the culinary spot for an in-depth class with your spouse where you’ll learn to make sushi, dim sum, surf and turf, a French dinner, and more. If baking is more your speed, Sur la Table also offers sweet workshops that teach macaron making, bread baking, and more.
The Upstate Table
Kingston
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Located in Kingston’s historic Fuller Building, The Upstate Table’s cooking classes are inspired by pop-up dinners and life in the Catskills. Each class is fueled by a love for cooking that is felt in the food. During workshops, participants make meals out of produce from local farms and goods from regional makers, and children can get in on the fun with classes at The Kids’ Table.
