Traveling abroad can be an exciting experience with new cultures and adventures to explore. Tasting new dishes, spices, and local delicacies makes food one of the most important adventures of traveling to a new country.
Partaking in cooking classes abroad can help elevate that culinary experience travelers seek. The rise of such classes abroad has grown in popularity, with many local restaurants and homes opening their kitchens to this unique experience. Christopher Precopia dives into the experience what these classes entail and how it can make for a great culinary experience.
Do it Like the Locals
Cooking classes are usually led by locals who provide all the ingredients and tools for making the dish. Having an in-person instructor is also great for providing real-time directions and feedback, ensuring that the dish will be just as if a local had made it when it’s ready to eat.
The class may also serve snacks, drinks, and desserts that pair well with the dish. This allows visitors to enjoy their meals in the way locals do, as well as an opportunity to sample more local delights.
Learn a Little History
Cooking classes also come with an antidote to the history and culture of the dish. Instructors will explain the ingredients, the history of the dish, and why it continues to be a popular choice. This allows visitors a deeper understanding of the culture.
Other instructors may also use traditional machines during the preparation of the dish, making students feel like they’re taking a step back into history.
Increased Appreciation and Knowledge
Cooking a dish from scratch can help people truly understand the process of making a dish, which can increase their appreciation and knowledge of the dish.
For example, taking a pasta class in Italy helps visitors learn the process of making the starch staple and the reason for its popularity. With just a few simple ingredients that can be found globally, visitors can take their classes back home and recreate these dishes.
Some dishes may take more time to make or require more manual labor like pad thai or curry. By making these dishes from scratch, visitors understand the time and effort it takes to make such a complex dish and savor each bite.
Meeting New People
Cooking together provides comradery, making for a fun, relaxing time. In this type of environment, everybody becomes students and supports one another in the process. Some cooking classes may separate the class into pairs, providing opportunities to bond and converse as well on an individual basis.
In the end, the dish is cooked and eaten together, making it feel like a family dinner.
Conclusion
Taking a cooking class has profound ways to incorporate visitors directly into the local culture and enhance their culinary adventures. With infinite dishes from around the globe to be made, visitors have an abundance of opportunities to create their meals.