So someone mentioned in another thread that they're thinking about teaching cooking class to newlyweds and such. My question is what sort of kitchen / licensing etc do you think this would require?

I've taught basic cake decorating skills to church groups and girl scout troops for no charge but what would you charge for a cooking class? What about a cake decorating class?

I'm intrigued by this idea- what am I not thinking about?

What would this cost? I could use a cooking class. I can bake a cake mix cake, but anything beyond that and grilled cheese is almost beyond me lol.

I don't know. I'm thinking very basic meals where you learn how to make three meals in an hour and a half (hands on) and then take home recipes and shopping lists as well as eating the dinners at the end of 'class'. I'm thinking it'd depend on what meals and the cost of ingredients. If it's something you're doing as a couple $50 a couple wouldn't be totally outrageous would it? you're not just learning but getting fed too? I'm just starting to think about this.

If I could get my husband to do it, and we got a few meals out of it, I would pay $50. It seems low to me to tell the truth, but I'm cheap and probably wouldnt pay much more than that anyway. You figure on three meals eating out I'd spend at least $75. But people dont usually think that way I guess.

I like the idea.

There is a place here in Omaha that does this. I'm having a blond moment and can't think of the name. They have a storefront and offer a variety of classes. I've never done it, but a friend of mine booked her daughter's birthday party there so the girls could be "chefs" for an hour!

The Kansas City Culinary School offers a wide variety of classes. Obviously, they are different, but you can check out their classes/prices and the such.

http://www.kcculinary.com/newsletter.html

How much you charged would totally depend on what you offered and how much you supplied.

For cake decorating, if you are suppling the cake, icing and tools, then you can certainly charge alot more than if they were supplying everything. Plus they are paying you for your time and talent.

Same thing with regular foods, you would have to know what you are offerieng, ingredients, pans to cook it in, and such, or are they bringing stuff with them?

You also have to keep in mind, if you have 6 people signed up or 10 people signed up then you need 6 or 10 of everything. 6/10 spoons, bowls to mix in, and so on, which could really add up and would be something you may need to add in to the cost.

well, i actually just took a cooking class! i loved it! it was a one day thing, lasted about 3 hours and we did three courses. we learned: asparagus wrapped in proscuitto and phyllo (i did mine without the proscuitto, i'm veg), pistachio crusted lamb with carrot ginger sauce (i had tofu instead of lamb) with a side salad, rosemary new potatoes and green bean parcels, and then a creme brulee for dessert. we of course ate everything, and had a blast! it was $60.00 per person and worth every dollar. i made the pistachio tofu just a few days later for dinner and it went perfectly! of course, the instructor is a chef/caterer who went to culinary school in london. she is an excellent chef with a list of credentials. i don't think i would have paid more than $30 for someone without those credentials or if boring food is what was being taught.

Make sure you check your local licensing laws, too. Depending on where the food is that you're preparing, you might need a business license for that. I know a culinary school near me that doesn't need a food license because he doesn't sell food, he just teaches how to make it. There was another woman, though, who was going to people's houses to do kids' birthday parties and preparing cakes or something like that, and she was busted by the health department because she didn't have a license. I'd suspect that if you go to people's houses and prepare food you might need to be licensed as a personal chef-type of thing, but there might be a loophole if you're just teaching a class using food that you made in a licensed kitchen (cakes for decorating classes, etc.)

Here in Durham, NC there is a company called "Chez Bay Gourmet", the website is chezbaygourmet.com. I've taken several classes with them and their website should give you some ideas.
Leslie