10 Cooking Classes You Can Take Online in September

As time marches on, you might find yourself getting sick of watching Netflix, baking banana bread, and making TikTok videos. So if you’re ready to pick up a new hobby—and reap a lifetime’s worth of benefits—why not try a virtual cooking class? Udemy, Coursera, and MasterClass offer classes for every level of chef. From teaching beginners who mainly use the microwave to guiding aficionados who have made sourdough starters for years, these virtual classes have something for everyone. And with the ability to create restaurant-quality meals at home, you’ll be able to save on tips and deliveries, without having to leave the comfort of the couch.

1. Essential Cooking Skills; $45

Even the most accomplished chefs were beginners once, and Udemy’s cooking essentials class will help you build a strong foundation for many meals to come. You’ll learn 17 standard techniques that every good cook should have in their back pocket, from chopping like a pro to cooking the perfect egg. Once you master the basics of food prep, you’ll be able to move on to the next step … figuring out what to make for your first meal as a “trained chef.”

Buy it: Udemy

2. Healthy Cooking Fundamentals; $20

Take the stress out of cooking by further strengthening your knowledge of the fundamentals. Taught by Nic DeMuth, an accomplished chef and registered critical care nurse, this course will educate you in building flavor bases, cooking with acids, and increasing the complexity of dishes, all with healthy ingredients in mind. The class culminates in a tasty cashew curry recipe, where you can apply your skills into a meal that will double as a reward for all of your hard work.

Buy it: Udemy

3. Basic Italian Cooking Skills; $95

If pasta is more of your thing, Luca La Rosa’s tutorials demonstrate how to concoct 16 essential Italian recipes that are perfect for any night of the week. You’ll not only understand how to prepare basic pastas and sauces, but also meat, fish, and veggies. As Chef La Rosa explains, one of the most important ingredients for any chef is passion. So even if your Italian cooking hasn’t extended much farther than opening a can of Chef Boyardee, you’ll still get the hang of authentic Italian cuisine in no time.

Buy it: Udemy

4. Vegan Vegetarian Cooking School; $25

Whether you’ve been vegan for years or are simply trying to eat less meat, this cooking school shares a variety of plant-based recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and everything in between. The class coaches you through the key ingredient swaps to make in order to meet your nutritional needs without meat or dairy, while also allowing you to cheat a bit with some homemade dessert recipes.

Buy it: Udemy

5. Cooking Chicken; $45

“It tastes like chicken” isn’t always a compliment … until you finish this series, that is. Avoid dry or tasteless poultry by mastering cooking practices that transform weeknight chicken into a copycat special from your favorite restaurant. By studying basic methods, along with classic recipes like chicken cordon bleu and coq au vin, you’ll quickly become an expert in cooking the perfect chicken. The Cooking Chicken program also shares tips for food safety, helping you handle raw meat and carefully store leftovers.

Buy it: Udemy

6. Indian Culinary World; $100

Indian food doesn’t just have to be for takeout. This four-hour Indian Culinary World class will teach you how to master 25 Indian food favorites, from spicy tikka masala to warm naan. Through nine versatile techniques, instructor Jyoti Sawant will guide you through the staples of Indian cooking, which can be applied to a variety of dishes. You’ll also learn how to stock your pantry with the essential spices and cookware you need for making Indian food part of your weekly meal rotation.

Buy it: Udemy

7. Child Nutrition and Cooking; $49/Month

Healthy eating is key for everyone’s well-being, but it’s even more important for children. According to Stanford’s Child Nutrition and Cooking seminar, eating patterns that begin in childhood often carry over to adult lives. To ensure that the children in your life are cultivating the right habits, Stanford’s syllabus explores topics like building balanced meals, choosing the right foods, and understanding nutrition labels. Coursera costs $49 each month, but once you sign up, this class is free with your membership.

Buy it: Coursera

8. Aaron Franklin Teaches Texas-Style Barbeque; $15/month

Aaron Franklin is a James Beard Award-winning restaurant owner and chef, and in his MasterClass, he’ll instruct you in the art of barbecue-style cooking. Franklin will guide you as if you’re his own personal apprentice, imparting his wisdom on building and maintaining fires for smoking, preparing key cuts of meat, and getting cooking time down to a science. MasterClass costs $180 for a yearly membership, which gives you unlimited access to Franklin’s class in addition to more than 85 courses in fields like photography, writing, and design.

Buy it: MasterClass

9. The Science of Gastronomy

Led by two professors from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, this fascinating program will explore some of the basic scientific principles behind cooking and food. In addition to using scientific methods to develop recipes, you’ll explore how the senses affect taste, how hunger cues work, and how geography and culture impact cuisines. Each course is based in biology, chemistry, and physics. You may not be cooking on a Bunsen burner, but you can still swap your apron for a lab coat to participate in a truly unique cooking experience.

Buy it: Coursera

10. Dominique Ansel Teaches French Pastry Fundamentals; $15/month

When you’re learning a new skill, you want to learn from the best, and Dominique Ansel is just that. Heralded as the “world’s best pastry chef,” the inventor of the cronut will educate you on treats that not only taste good, but also look beautiful. The class teaches skills like piping, glazing, and dough laminations to turn you into a baker almost as skilled as Ansel himself.

Buy it: MasterClass